Boston officer shares experience with law enforcement leaders

MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- More than 200 police chiefs have come to Milwaukee's Pfister Hotel. All are sharing tips, experiences and insight.

Among the hundreds, one special officers is gives terrifying accounts of the past weeks.

"We're all wounded," Boston Police Superintendent-In-Chief Dan Linskey said.

Linskey was in the middle of the chaos and horror at the Boston Marathon.

"I was about a half a mile from the finish line," Linskey said. "I ran as fast as I could until I could commandeer a vehicle."

He was there when the bombs exploded and in the middle of a shoot-out with one of the suspected bombers.

"I was there as our officers engaged in a gun battle and had bombs thrown at them," he said.

They are experiences that changed his life forever. He is sharing them with more than 200 officers the Police Executive Research Forum.

"The key here, is learning from each other," Milwaukee Police Chief Ed Flynn said.

Flynn is helping lead the conference. He is focusing on event like those in Boston prepare law enforcement leaders for anything.

"We can learn from each other about how these investigations take place and the challenges in coordinating multi-jurisdictional responses," Flynn said.

Responses Linskey now knows well.

"The city is wounded and needs to have sharp metal taken out of their souls, their heart and we need to figure out how we get better," he said.

The forum is not open to the public. It is happening through Friday, May 3rd.