NATCHEZ — Two days after a Pittsburgh man reportedly killed 11 Jewish congregants in a hate-filled attack, Adams County Sheriff Travis Patten joined law enforcement officers from across the country in a roundtable discussion about hate crimes.

The U.S. Department of Justice invited Patten and more than 70 other law enforcement leaders to discuss how to identify, investigate and combat hate crimes. The two-day roundtable discussion beginning Monday was planned before Saturday’s rampage in Pittsburgh.

“I am honored to have been invited to participate in the roundtable,” Patten said. “It is a who’s who of law enforcement throughout the country here.”

Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein and Acting Assistant Attorney General of the Civil Rights Division John Gore spoke during the event Monday.

Attendees include top officials from the Chicago, Boston and Philadelphia police departments. Executive Director of the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executive Dwayne Crawford and Tracy Phillips from the International Association of Chiefs of Police are also attending.

Topics of discussion for the conference include the importance of community partnerships, identifying barriers to the identification and investigation of hate crimes and how to improve the reporting of hate crimes.

Patten said all expenses were paid for the trip to the conference, which ends today at noon.