Adapting to Change: Innovating with AI in Public Safety - A Panel Discussion

Brendan Hooke is a seasoned law enforcement professional with over two decades of experience in various leadership roles within the Fairfax County Police Department. Currently serving as a Major in the Planning and Research Bureau, he oversees four critical divisions, including Information Technology, the Real Time Crime Center, and Intergovernmental and Legislative Affairs. His leadership in these areas reflects his deep commitment to integrating advanced technology and data-driven strategies into law enforcement practices, ensuring that his department remains at the forefront of public safety innovation.

Brendan is also deeply involved in shaping the future of digital forensics and cybersecurity in policing through his roles with the IJIS Institute and the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP). As Co-Chair of the IJIS Institute's Cybersecurity Working Group, he plays a pivotal role in developing best practices and policies to protect critical public safety infrastructure.
Additionally, as a member of the IACP's Computer Crime and Digital Evidence Committee, he contributes to national discussions on emerging threats and the evolving landscape of digital crime.

Brendan's robust academic background underpins his professional accomplishments. He holds a Master of Forensic Science in High Technology Crime Investigation from George Washington University and a Graduate Certificate in Forensic Accounting from George Mason University. He also earned a Bachelor of Arts in Government from the College of William and Mary. His education, combined with his extensive experience, positions him as a key voice at the intersection of technology and law enforcement, both locally and nationally.

Chief Fetterman is a Division Chief with the Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA), where he oversees the Command and Emergency Planning Division, which is responsible for the Emergency Command Center, Emergency Management/Planning, and the Emerging Technology Liaison to the Information Technology Division.

Chief Fetterman has been in the Fire Service for over 28 years holding a variety of roles including Firefighter/Paramedic, SWAT Paramedic, Engineer, Captain, Administrative Captain, Battalion Chief, Hazmat Program Manager, ECC Duty Officer, US&R Program Manager of California Task Force 5, and Division Chief.

A leader passionate about Incident Management, Chief Fetterman is a qualified Plans Section Chief (Type 1), Strike Team Leader, and Division Supervisor and is currently serving as the Incident Commander for Orange County All-Hazard Incident Management Team #1. He also serves as the primary Plans Section Chief on the FEMA Urban Search and Rescue -Blue Incident Support Team with response experience on various local, state, and federal disasters, including the Oso Mudslide in Washington, the 2013 Colorado floods, the Surfside condominium collapse in Florida, and Hurricanes Matthew, Maria, Florence, and many others.

In 2022, Kevin was part of an international delegation that traveled to Israel to learn about and participate in a full-scale Search and Rescue exercise with the Israeli National Response Unit and its Search and Rescue Professionals.

In 2024, on behalf of the IAFC, Kevin testified to the United States House of Representatives, Committee on Homeland Security, Subcommittee on Emergency Management and Technology, and the Subcommittee on Counterterrorism, Law Enforcement, and Intelligence on the topic of Unmanned Aerial Systems: An Examination of the Use of Drones in Emergency Response”

Kevin also serves on the IAFC Technology Council, where his focus is the Fire Service's ability to prepare, respond, and recover from challenges by adopting new technologies and considering the "people, process, and technology" factors when integrating solutions.

Ashish "Yosh" Kakkad is the Chief Technology Officer for the Department. Ashish joined the Department in 2002. He was appointed as the CTO for the Department in 2013.

In his capacity as the CTO, he is responsible for managing the Department's technology budget, and contracts as well as ensuring the technology roadmap aligns with the Department's strategic goals. Yosh also oversees the Department’s Wireless Services Division, which is responsible for providing mission-critical voice communication to 116+ local, state, and federal agencies in San Diego and Imperial counties and over 20,000 active radios on the System.

Throughout his career, Yosh has led a tremendous effort on numerous large and complex projects that were vastly beneficial for the County and the Sheriff's Department.

Before being appointed as the CTO, he was responsible for the regional data-sharing platform, actively utilized by over 70 local, state, and federal agencies in the County with over 12,000 active users. Yosh is a first-generation Indian immigrant. He married with three incredible kids (a stepson, a daughter, and a son) that keep him on his toes. He is a US Air Force veteran and holds a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science and an MBA in IT Management.

As Director of Government Strategy for Microsoft’s Worldwide Public Sector organization, Kirk drives Microsoft’s strategy to best serve government operations and drive public sector mission outcomes for state and local government. In this role, Kirk works with government executives, practitioners, and information technology professionals to ensure Microsoft’s technology, services, and partner eco-system address the most critical needs of the state and local government community. Kirk also serves as key industry advisor to customers and to Microsoft in public safety and justice as a subject matter expert. Kirk served 40 years in government in numerous roles including sworn policing (uniform, investigations, undercover), intelligence commander, chief information security officer and Chief Information Officer for the State of Illinois.

Sai Narain is currently a Director, Technology Strategy specializing in Public Safety & Justice. With 20+ years of experience in the public safety industry, he currently works with law enforcement, fire service & other justice partners in envisioning the art of the possible, and how technology can be a force multiplier and assist organizations with intergovernmental agency data sharing, cybersecurity, and collaboration. He works closely with the Microsoft partner ecosystem that supports public safety and serves as key technology subject matter expert supporting the Microsoft Tactical Vehicle program for emergency first response.

Fire Chief Dave Winnacker has been in the fire service for 20 years with Fresno City, Alameda County, and the Moraga-Orinda Fire District. Prior to joining the fire service, he served on active duty as a Marine Corps Infantry officer from 1997-2003.  As a member of the Marine Corps Reserve, he served as Commanding Officer, 4th Force Reconnaissance Company from 2014-2016, as Deputy Commander, 23rd Marine Regiment from 2019-2022, and Chief of Staff, Marine Innovation Unit from 2022-2024. At Stanford University he is a Hoover Institution Veteran Fellow working on the intersection of wildfire and property insurance.

Jeff Dulin is the Strategic Advisor for National & Global Programs for the International Association of Fire Chiefs. Jeff also oversees several of the IAFC’s GIS Projects where he works on programs that collect, analyze and disseminate information. In this role, Jeff oversees all Technology Research Projects and data development tools for use prior to and during disasters. Jeff Works closely with State, Local, and Federal partners in the GIS arena to help bring real-time data sharing from the field to decision-makers. Jeff has been very active in the disaster response arena deploying to dozens of national disasters as part of Incident Management Teams and was the Deputy Operations Chief for the 2012 Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, NC.

Prior to the IAFC, Jeff retired as the Deputy Chief of the Charlotte Fire Department after 33 years where he served as a Deputy Chief for the last 14 years over the Communications, Training, EM / Homeland Security, and Special Operations Divisions. Jeff has spoken Nationally and Internationally on Disaster and Homeland Security and Emergency Management issues. Jeff serves on three Federal Committees overseeing National Standards for Homeland Security, Emergency Management, and Active Shooter Events. Jeff holds a BA in Fire Administration from the University of Maryland and is a Graduate of the Naval Postgraduate School with a Master's in Homeland Defense and National Security. Jeff has presented Internationally in the UK, EU, Australia, and the Middle East for many years.