About Us

in·let n. (ˈin-let)

A stream or bay leading inland, as from the ocean; an estuary.

A connection between a bay and the ocean; often called an “entrance”.

An opening providing a means of entrance or intake.

INLETS is a non-profit, 501(c)3 organization that partners with the Maryland Coordination and Analysis Center (MCAC-the state fusion center) and the FBI Field Offices in Washington DC and Baltimore.

In 2011, the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit provided a three-day training for law enforcement investigators in the National Capital Region, led by FBI Special Agents Erin Sheridan and Steve Shepherd.

With the positive attendee surveys, Sheridan and Shepherd formed a planning team from the MCAC, FBI WFO and BA, with local InfraGard chapters, 501(c)3’s, leading as fiduciaries. As they prepared for the second annual training, the Mid-Atlantic INtel & Law Enforcement Training Seminar (INLETS) was created.

In 2015, requested by FBIHQ, the Gulf Coast INLETS in New Orleans was added in partnership with the Louisiana State Fusion Center (LA-SAFE), FBI NO, and InfraGard LA.

In 2017, FBIHQ asked INLETS to provide their five-day program in three time zones. So INLETS returned to New Orleans and the US National WWII Museum. And added Waikiki, in partnership with the FBI Honolulu office, the Hawaii Fusion Center, and InfraGard HI. The Hawaiian Island INLETS included a private tour at the USS Arizona Memorial. Local attendees repeatedly called it the best LE training ever hosted in Hawaii.

In 2018, the training program transitioned into its own 501(c)3 and became the INtel & Law Enforcement Training Services, commonly called “INLETS.”

In 2020, INLETS OnLine was launched amidst the Covid pandemic. The monthly webinar series averaged 350 attendees, with attendees across the country and in Europe.

through Today: INLETS has held one-day, multi-day, and the five-day Violent Crimes & Terrorism Trends in MD, DE, VA, NJ, FL, LA, and HI, and DC.

ON THE INLETS, MUCH LIKE THE NAME SUGGESTS, SERVES AS A CONDUIT FROM FEDERAL AND LARGE AGENCY RESOURCES TO THE STATE AND LOCAL AGENCIES AND STAKEHOLDER INDUSTRIES, MUCH LIKE AN INLET CONNECTS AN OCEAN TO STREAMS, RIVERS, AND BACK BAYS.

Our Mission Statement:

On the INLETS is a non-profit organization dedicated to creating and providing leading-edge, high-quality investigative training and support services to law enforcement and security professionals.

Our Goal:

CONNECT THOSE CHARGED WITH PROTECTING OUR COMMUNITIES WITH THE INSTRUCTION TO HELP THEM DO SO.

The Annual Violent Crimes & Terrorism Trends

This five-day conference has been hosted nearly 20 times across Annapolis, New Orleans, and Honolulu.

Focused on a bevy of topics in investigating violent crimes and terror threats, this seminar utilizes three formats of instruction: General Session and Focused Presentation topics, both are single focused delivered in 90 minutes to two hours. And Workshops, like a mini-series, with 90 minute sessions over three days, totaling 4.5 hours of instructions.

It includes the Tribute to Heroes evening program with past Keynote presentations by Richard Phillips (Capt. Phillips), Tony Mendez (Argo), Roy Hallums (Buried Alive), Mark Geist (13 Hours), Rob O’Neil (The Operator), Clint Romesha (The Outpost).

Featured Presenters include Greg Stube, (US Army, ret.), Kirk Lippold (US Navy, ret.), Amy Herman, and Gene Deisinger.

Other featured presenters were from New Scotland Yard, the French National Police, Norway’s Delta Nord, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the Australian Federal Police, the German Federal Police, and the New Zealand Federal Police.

Presenters from across the country include the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit, NYPD, LAPD, Las Vegas Metro Sheriffs Office, State Police investigators from Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Louisiana, and Maryland, private sector experts such as Gene Deisinger and Amy Herman, and many other subject matter experts.

INLETS In-Depth

INLETS In-Depth is a 4-day program that focuses in detail on a single topic. Led by a subject matter expert with other SME presenters, they provide instruction in a classroom style setting.

The In-Depth series includes the Homicide Investigators Course, Social Media & Finding People, Responding to Acts of Violence & Terrorism, and Targeted Violence & Threat Assessment.

Hosted in Annapolis (’21-’24), Orlando (’22) and Tampa (’24), the intended audience are Law Enforcement investigators and analysts, Military and IC personnel, Risk & Safety practitioners specific to topic.

A Day on the INLETS

An 8-hour block of instruction composed of various presentations on pertinent, parallel topics. The same agenda is provided a number of times annually at venues from the Potomac River to the Delaware Valley. The attendees include LE, first responders, Risk & Safety practitioners from campus, houses of worship, businesses, and organizations.

INLETS On-line

INLETS On-line was created as a webinar series hosted throughout the global pandemic. While the nation was restricted to their homes and limited for months after, INLETS provided webinars to an average of 350 attendees across the North America, including Canada.

By the Numbers:

9.3 | Average Attendee Evaluation for In-Person INLETS events and courses

7 | Foreign Country Presenters: Australia, New Zealand, Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Norway

47 | States have been represented

30+ | State Fusion Centers have attended

50+ | Institutions of Higher Education have attended

1,100+ | Law Enforcement agencies have attended

12,000+ | Total Participants

The planning team is comprised of those with diverse backgrounds and a common goal: to provide attendees the most relevant topics, from leading experts, at the most affordable price possible. And through all of it, to remember it is always for the victims.

The three member board ensures the organization exceeds the 501(c)3 required status. And with the team volunteers, they contribute in two areas; the INLETS’ Training aspect and the Services element.

The Training aspect includes agenda design, partner and sponsor engagement, Benefactor support, event production, execution, and support.

The Services element includes consultations with attendees to determine investigative and analytical needs then coordinating with INLETS partners to provide support and solutions.

Steve Shepherd
Executive Director

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Steve Shepherd
Executive Director
Steve Shepherd is the creator and director of INLETS, providing leading-edge training programs for Law Enforcement and Intel entities.

He has 25 years experience in counterterrorism investigations and counterintelligence operations.

As an FBI Special Agent, Steve served in MD and DE as a BAU Coordinator and Active Shooter Program Coordinator focused on pre-indicators of violent offenders, cold cases, mass shootings, and other violent crimes. He also served on the FBI BA Tactical Maritime Team.

He served on the FBI NY JTTF from 1998-2004 including the case squads for the USS Cole bombing, 9/11 attack in NYC and the 2001 NY City Anthrax mailings, then later on the US Virgin Islands JTTF responding to crimes on the high seas, acts of terrorism, and conducting Intelligence Operations. In 2006, he was promoted to Supervisory Special Agent in the Weapons of Mass Destruction Directorate at FBIHQ. There he led the development of WMD training at the FBI Academy at Quantico and national courses for state and local partners.

An Adjunct Instructor at the FBI Academy, Steve holds a Master’s Degree in Criminology.
RC Smith
Secretary, Benefactor Director

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RC Smith
Secretary, Benefactor Director

RC serves on the INLETS board of directors and chairs the benefactor program, which he designed to recognize and reward those who serve our communities. He has been with the organization since 2013.

RC has lived a life of service. He became a U.S. Marine shortly after graduating high school, serving a 21-year career with distinction throughout the Pacific and then as the Senior Enlisted for Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

Once entering civilian life, he joined Lockheed Martin where for 25 years he has served in physical security, crisis management, and counterintelligence roles at multiple facilities in the DMV.

For over 45 years he has led, facilitated, and protected defenders of our nation. He graduated from the FBI Citizens Academy and serves as a member of the Baltimore chapter’s Alumni Association. He also served on the board of directors of the InfraGard Maryland Chapter, from 2011-2023.

A noted pen turner, he designs handcrafted writing instruments for individuals who serve our country or support those who do. His pens have been presented to individuals including Col. Oliver North, Gary “Lt. Dan” Sinise, and James Hettfield of Metallica. In his own principled way, he has never sold a pen for profit but rather as a personal gift to individuals with a servant’s heart.

For his 45 years, RC has lived his life in “Oscar Mike” fashion. That military phonetic alphabet stands for “On Mission.” And if you know RC, that is the way he lives — with focus, purpose, and intention.

RC resides in Texas serving as a physical security expert for a global defense company.
Nancy Ferguson
Treasurer, Liaison Officer

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Nancy Ferguson
Treasurer, Liaison Officer
Nancy Ferguson serves on the Board of Directors as the Treasurer. Joining the team in June of 2022, she heads the financial and budget oversight for the organization, leads the sponsor and partner engagement, and the administrative aspects during live events.
Her business acumen was developed while working for a national financial institution, at the national level with a real estate organization and in regional management for a national luxury retail chain covering the central east coast.
Through those positions, she headed proposals and contracts and led marketing and customer service initiatives. She mentored her management team, fostered and maintained vendor partnerships, led employee development through recognition and promotion programs, designed and launched new product lines, locations, and events. She was awarded and recognized for implementing strategies which managed and improved inventory levels and profit margins.
Additionally, she has spent over a decade as a volunteer on several non-profit organizations
Nancy resides on Maryland’s Eastern Shore.
Kyria Hixson
Strategic Planning and Onsite Logistics

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Kyria Hixson
Strategic Planning and Onsite Logistics
Kyria has served on INLETS’ planning team since 2022 and supports the administrative aspect during events. Through her career, she has developed experienced from multiple view points:

Currently, Kyria is a Physical Security Representative and Crisis Management Lead for Lockheed Martin, where she provides guidance and leadership in maintaining facility compliance and organizational integrity of systems while identifying and working physical security and insider threats.

Prior, she served at the federal level as a Special Agent for the National Security Agency as a Counterintelligence Investigator. There she led a team of 12 agents, providing response to all security related incidents affecting the Agency’s facilities and personnel, conducted risk assessments, analyzed threat reporting and responded to active scenes, conducting interviews and logical investigation. Through this role, she was the Security liaison to high-ranking Agency personnel.

Kyria served two years as a Seasonal Officer for the Ocean City (MD) Police Department. There she worked patrol, observing and responding to various calls for service and emergencies, investigated crime and accident, apprehend suspects, and provided testimony in court.

Holding a BA in Criminal Justice from Bloomsburg University, she lives in central Maryland.

Kyria is currently near completion of her Masters of Science in Law Enforcement Intelligence and Analysis from Michigan State University.
John Vogt
Director of Operations

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John Vogt
Director of Operations
INLETS Director of Operations
A 29 year veteran Police Officer and certified law enforcement trainer for 20 years, John has been with INLETS for 9 years.
Currently a Sergeant with the Maryland Natural Resources Police, John has served in Patrol as well as the Warrant Service, Witness Protection, Transportation, K-9, Training & Recruitment, and Homeland Security and Intelligence units, and the Warrant Apprehension Task Force.
Detailed recently to the Maryland Coordination and Analysis Center (MCAC) for six years, he served as the Training and Outreach coordinator, conducting cross agency coordination of internal and external training and outreach activities related to local, state, federal and private sector agencies for state-wide MCAC-related mission efforts, and in identifying, developing, coordinating and/or delivering subject matter and tradecraft training and certifications for MCAC staff as well as to external federal, state, and local partners.
John entered into his law enforcement career with the Baltimore City Sheriff’s Office in Jan 1997.
Erin L Sheridan
Content Creation and Design

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Erin L Sheridan
Content Creation and Design

A 27-year veteran FBI Special Agent who has served in the largest Field Offices and remotest Resident Agencies successfully conducting investigations and prosecutions of serial killers and serial rapists, cold case and investigative genetic genealogy subjects, real time kidnappings for ransom and bank robberies, extraterritorial homicide and rapists, high profile rapes and homicide cases, and terrorism investigations. Often requested By-name from federal, state, and local agencies to lead task forces and head complex investigations, major cases, and requested to serve as a consultant to other FBI field offices in violent crime investigations. Recognized for integrating FBI resources such as CAST, OPA, BAU, ERT, USERT, VSD, and for her ability to forge liaison with local, state, and federal agencies and private sector elements. Recipient of numerous state and federal awards for ingenuity and successful prosecutions.
Darren Heater
Creative Director

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Darren Heater
Creative Director
Darren Heater has led the live production of INLETS programming for 10 years. Found at dmholistic.com, he has been working in creative strategy and branding as well as video production and the film industry since 2003.

As a creative director he has been involved in all aspects of the branding process from messaging, design, directing, shooting, post-production as well as web design, photography and graphic design.

He believes in being innovative while drawing out the human story in every project, whether it be for a cyber security, an engineering firm, a destination or an international non-profit. His passion is telling a client’s story in a powerful and accurate way to inspire engagement.