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Several hundred high school students from around the state converged in San Marcos from Feb. 6 through 8 in attendance of the 27th Annual Texas Crime Stoppers Campus Conference.
Hosted by nonprofit Hays County Crime Stoppers, the three-day event took place at the Embassy Suites Hotel Convention Center and was geared toward campus Crime Stoppers groups throughout Texas. The Title Sponsor of the conference was Broaddus Defense.
The majority of conference goers were teenagers aged 14–18. Attendees also included law enforcement and related personnel such as police officers, sheriff’s deputies, school resource officers and school safety directors. Two local high schools with campus crime stoppers groups, Hays High and Johnson High, sent a contingent of students to the event. Other area high schools in the process of starting up campus groups sent district personnel to attend.
“We have more than 300 people registered,” conference chair Kim Hilsenbeck said ahead of the event. “The conference took more than a year of planning, fundraising and nail-biting but we’re ready.”
“Our lineup of speakers is second to none,” she added. “General and breakout sessions include topics such as school safety, domestic and dating violence, sex trafficking, cyberbullying, suicide prevention and a roundtable on police-community perceptions.”
According to Hilsenbeck, one of the most important elements of the event involved students addressing the opioid crisis from a teen perspective.
“Our underlying goal of this event is helping these students realize they have a voice when it comes to campus safety,” she said. “They know what’s going on at their schools and in their communities, but many are scared or unwilling to speak up. But they absolutely are the change agents in this situation. They can go back to their campus and be part of the solution.”
HCCS Executive Director Sargeant Jeff Jordan said he is proud of the team that brought the upcoming conference to life.
“We went from zero to 60 in about five seconds,” Jordan said. “The board voted in January 2022 to host the 2023 conference, and from that point on, it’s been non-stop.”
The campus conference is overseen by the Texas Crime Stoppers Public Safety Office, which is under the umbrella of the Texas Governor’s Office. A small staff in Austin help guide and steer HCCS, but in general, most details have been up to the local group.
Jordan said he’s watched a group of dedicated volunteers, many with full-time jobs, families and other obligations, take ownership of the event, coordinating everything from the venue and speakers to food, sponsorship and entertainment, as well as details such as speaker gifts, centerpieces, signage and the program book.
“We want them to go back to their campuses with the knowledge, confidence and tools needed to create a safer environment,” he explained.
Jordan, an employee of the Hays County Sheriff’s Office, took over HCCS in September 2021. Executive Board Chair Gary Tucker said the difference between where the organization was 16 months ago to where it is now is remarkable. He credits Jordan for getting the group off life support and turning the ship around.
“Jeff has done wonderful things as the HCCS executive director,” Tucker said. “Our entire focus and energy is vastly improved. We helped bring 49 people in from the most wanted list in 2022. That is phenomenal.”
He said in years past, the group would see 6-10 arrests from the most wanted list.
Tucker also assisted with the conference, bringing 25+ years of experience with the group — and his professional skills — to the table.
Hays County Crime Stoppers was founded in 1981 to offer the public a completely anonymous way to report crime in their communities. Download the P3 app to report information; if an arrest is made based on information provided, tipsters are eligible for cash rewards up to $1,000.
To learn more, visit callcrimestopper.com.
