As founder of The Border Research Group, Mr. Walters provides assistance to tribal communities and nongovernmental organizations in the field of child protection, human trafficking and family violence. As the former Program Administrator for the AMBER Alert Training and Technical Assistance Program (AATTAP), Mr. Walters was responsible for developing and delivering national training and technical assistance in investigative techniques, program development and policy issues related to child protection, exploitation, missing and abducted children and youth at high risk of victimization. Mr. Walters oversaw the implementation of the AMBER Alert Initiative for Indian Country, developing training and technical assistance on public safety issues to over 500 federally recognized tribes. He supervised efforts in support of the implementation of the Ashlynne Mike AMBER Alert in Indian Country Act of 2018.

John Wallschlaeger started his career in law enforcement with the Hartland Police Department in 1994. John joined the Appleton Police Department in 2002 and achieved the rank of Sergeant in May 2009. In 2004, John became Wisconsin’s first “Memphis Model” based CIT officer after attending the 40- hour course offered at the Akron Ohio Police Department. John sees CIT as the best model of training on crisis response available to law enforcement and has helped develop it, in conjunction with NAMI Fox Valley, not only at the Appleton Police Department but throughout Wisconsin. That effort resulted in John earning the “CIT International CIT Officer of the Year Award” in 2010. John was also awarded in 2010 the “Protect & Serve Award” from NAMI WI. John recognizes that through CIT, community collaboration between the law enforcement and mental health communities is enhanced, bettering the lives of persons and families living with mental illness.