On a humid June morning in the heart of historic Annapolis, Maryland – a city steeped in history, military tradition, and maritime heritage – the 13th Annual Mid-Atlantic INLETS: Violent Crimes & Terrorism Trends conference opened its doors to an eager, security-minded crowd. Hosted in the state capital nestled along the Chesapeake Bay, the setting offered a symbolic and fitting backdrop for the mission at hand: to confront contemporary national security threats with vigilance, collaboration, and clarity.
Annapolis, home to the U.S. Naval Academy and once the country’s temporary capital after the Revolutionary War, is no stranger to history in the making. This week, that continues – albeit in a new form – as investigators, analysts, first responders, and private sector experts gather to address the pressing issues of terrorism, violent crime, and emergent threats across the country.
A Platform Built on Real-World Experience
On Monday, June 23, the INLETS gathering began with a strong message of community and purpose. As attendees filled a main ballroom, the morning opened with a moving invocation from Chaplain Ed Kelly, who emphasized the enduring human element in national security work—reminding everyone that the mission to protect lives must also include care for each other.
Following the opening remarks, attendees were immersed in the first of more than 30 hours of training and engagement scheduled across five intense days. Monday alone offered nearly nine hours of programming, featuring lectures, case studies, and opportunities to engage in informal networking. From the outset, the energy in the room was palpable.
“The collaboration was filled with excited and charismatic experts eager to learn about the topics of the day,” one participant shared. “You could feel the sense of purpose as soon as you walked in.”
Throughout the day, sessions encouraged participants to reevaluate the way they interpret their surroundings, identify threats, and leverage emerging tools to do so. Whether through keynote speakers or informal breakout conversations over coffee, the experience of Day One left a strong impression.
“I’m learning things in real-time from people who’ve been on the front lines of 9/11, WMD response, and cyberterrorism,” said one early career, student attendee. “You can’t get that in a classroom!”
What Makes INLETS Different
Launched more than a decade ago, INLETS – short for the INtel & Law Enforcement Training Services – has grown into one of the country’s premier collaborations focused on violent crime and terrorism trends. More than a conference, it’s a trusted learning environment designed to build collaboration across agencies, sectors, and generations.
Unlike academic seminars or large expos, INLETS is known for its practitioner-to-practitioner format. That means real cases, real failures, and real lessons—not just theory. Over the years, its value has become clear to veterans in the field and rising professionals alike. With over 30 hours of programming and dozens of high-value engagements, INLETS continues to prove why it remains one of the premier national forums for threat mitigation and violence prevention professionals.
This year’s agenda spans domestic violent extremism, foreign terrorist organization tactics, stalking and behavioral analysis, and practical approaches to pre-attack detection. The learning is designed not only to inform, but also to equip. And the content is matched by something else just as vital: access to peers.
Bridging Sectors, Building Networks
More than just content, INLETS offers participants critical opportunities for network building and cross-sector collaboration. Government, law enforcement, military, private security, and academic professionals all share the same space—an intentional structure that reflects today’s most pressing national security threats: hybrid, transnational, and interdisciplinary. Attendees frequently cite the unique value of engaging with professionals from outside their immediate field or jurisdiction.
“There’s something about hearing from someone in a completely different agency or part of the country that helps you see your own challenges with fresh eyes,” said one federal analyst. “It’s one of the only places where that kind of real dialogue happens.”
Industry Partnerships Driving the Mission
Collaborative initiatives like INLETS don’t happen in isolation. The 2025 conference was made possible by support from both public and private sector partners who believe in the mission of cross-agency preparedness. This year’s sponsors include GardaWorld, Berla Corporation, MISSION BBQ, 7-Eleven, Databuoy, and MF&E, along with support from the Maryland Coordination and Analysis Center (MCAC). Their contributions ensure the program remains robust, affordable, and open to the wide range of professionals who need it most.
From lunches that double as networking hubs, every detail is designed to support learning and connection. The sponsors’ presence reflects a broader reality: in today’s threat landscape, public-private cooperation is not a bonus—it’s a necessity.
A Look Ahead
As the week unfolds, INLETS attendees will be exposed to some of the most complex and pressing topics in the field. These include insider threats, digital surveillance challenges, lone-wolf terrorism, and behavioral threat assessment.
Tuesday’s and Wednesday’s sessions promise deeper dives into operational case studies and the evolving legal frameworks around intelligence collection and privacy. Thursday’s highlight includes a four-hour intensive on stalking as a prelude to larger-scale violence, led by a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Behavioral Analysis Unit expert. In every session, the emphasis is on tools that are immediately useful—whether for a big-city detective, a rural sheriff’s deputy, or a private sector security analyst tracking digital threats. But the strength of INLETS isn’t just in its topics. It’s in how those topics are presented: by experienced professionals speaking to peers, sharing knowledge they earned the hard way, and inviting dialogue, not just lectures.
The Man Behind the Mission
At the center of it all is Steve Shepherd, the Executive Director and founder of INLETS, and contributor to Homeland Security Today. A seasoned FBI Special Agent with over 25 years of experience, Shepherd created INLETS to address a gap he saw firsthand: the need for integrated, actionable training that connected federal intelligence work with the street-level reality of policing and threat response.
His resume includes assignments on the FBI’s New York Joint Terrorism Task Force, and investigative roles on the USS Cole bombing, the 9/11 attacks, and the 2001 anthrax mailings. He later led national-level Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) training for the FBI and served as an adjunct instructor at the FBI Academy in Quantico. Through it all, his focus has remained the same—building partnerships that matter and improving the way we prepare for the worst.
Under Shepherd’s direction, INLETS has grown from a regional initiative into a national institution, earning recognition as a Homeland Security Today 2022 Holiday Hero Award winner. But its mission remains unchanged: to provide cutting-edge training to those on the front lines of violent crime and terrorism, and to ensure they’re not fighting alone.
A Taste of What’s to Come
Monday was only the beginning. As attendees left the ballroom at the end of the first day—some buzzing about group exercises, others quietly reflecting on the day’s insights—the sentiment was clear: this is not just another professional training. It’s a community, a resource, and for many, a critical lifeline in a rapidly shifting threat environment. Future dispatches will cover deeper content from the week’s standout sessions. But for now, the story is just beginning.
And in a place like Annapolis – where history and service run deep – that’s exactly the point.
