Mr. Benjamin O. Warren, Jr.
Huntington Beach, CA 92647
Honorably retired Sergeant of the Los Angeles Police Department from April 21, 1980 to November 30, 2013, utilizing training, knowledge and experience to lead Hot Pursuit, Inc.
Expert opinion should be determined from a comprehensive review of all available documentation, video and the totality of evidence-based information.
Qualifications:
Los Angeles Police Department: April 21,1980 to November 30, 2013 - Honorably Retired Sergeant. Holds a Law Enforcement, Concealed Carry Weapon (CCW) qualified under the Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act (LEOSA) House of Representative Act 218 (H.R. 218).
Worked the “streets” of Los Angeles as a sworn, POST Certified police officer and training police officer for a total of 18 years, during which time he responded to tens of thousands of emergency calls for service, including but not limited to: murder, rape, robbery, and many other felony crimes, egregious incidents, traffic collisions and family disputes and riots just to scratch the surface. Testified innumerably in State of California, Superior Court as a Subject Matter Expert (SME) in many areas of police work including but not limited to: Gangs, Narcotics, Domestic Violence, Murder, Attempt Murder and many other Part I and Part II crimes. Field Training Officer (FTO) trained new officers on laws of arrest, police policy, crimes against persons and property crime scene investigation and collection/preservation of evidence; Narcotics Expert: sales, possession, use and objective symptoms while under-the-influence of illegal and/or controlled substances.
Detective Trainee, Southeast Division, Major Assault Crimes (MAC), filed cases with the District Attorney’s office and City Attorney’s office. Expert in the process of latent print investigations.
Promoted to the rank of Sergeant in 1998. Worked an additional 7 years as a patrol sergeant for a total of 25 years in the “streets.” Worked approximately nine years in administrative positions at the rank of police officer and sergeant which include: Law Instructor at the Los Angeles Police Academy for police recruits and seasoned veterans for relating criminal law and civil law with policy & procedure; Management Services Division as a staff policy researcher & writer to create and implement policy of varied nature; City Attorney’s Office as a researcher.
Worked as Watch Commander of various divisions including 77th Street, Rampart, West Los Angeles, Internal Affairs, Jail Division and Office of Chief of Police. Special assignment to Property Division as the Acting Commanding Officer and Commanding Officer's Adjutant.
As Watch Commander/Sergeant/Acting Commanding Officer have reviewed and approved many thousands of criminal investigations, arrest reports, evidence reports, administrative complaint investigations and Injury-On-Duty (IOD) Worker’s Compensation investigations.
Sergeant II, Internal Affairs Investigator and Department Advocate; Legal Affairs-Law Researcher/Policy Writer and Police Academy Law Instructor Management Services Division (MSD), Staff Research Investigator/Unit Supervisor, Special Projects Unit developed and wrote Department policy interacting with the District Attorney and City Attorney to develop opinions based on case law for implementation of policy subsequently reviewed and approved by the Police Commission and Chief of Police.
Acting Commanding Officer/Adjutant: Evidence Division; Watch Commander Rampart Patrol, 77th Street Patrol and West Los Angeles Patrol Divisions. Watch Commander, Metropolitan (Metro) Detention Center (MDC)-Operations; Policy Writer/Staff Researcher, Office of the Chief of Police; Divisional Injury-On-Duty (IOD) Sick Coordinator and Worker’s Compensation Investigator, Officer-In-Charge (OIC), Personnel Complaint Investigations Unit and OIC, 77th Regional Jail Section (RJS) facility.
Los Angeles Police Protective League (LAPPL), Employee Representative for disciplinary negotiation and protections of the Peace Officer’s Bill of Rights for officer’s accused of violation of Department administrative policy and possible criminal conduct.
Ancillary duties as a Los Angeles Police. Protective League (LAPPL), League Delegate, and Representative during administrative investigation procedures and Board of Rights process to represent the accused officer. Elected by peers as a Negotiator of, “3-12 Work Schedule - Pilot Program,” to represent police officers during the negotiation process with the Los Angeles Police Department and City of Los Angeles the which resulted in citywide implementation and currently adopted.
Ancillary duties as an Advisory Equal Employment Opportunity Committee (AEEOC), Advisory Committee Board Member ensuring equal opportunity of under-represented or disadvantaged employees.
Department Chaplain Corps: Divisional Chaplain 2001 to 2011, Operations South Bureau (OSB) Bureau Chaplain Coordinator 2004 to 2011, Chaplain Corps President/Chief Chaplain 2011 to 2013.
Senior Investigator with Premier Group Private Investigations, Inc. (2010 to 2023). Lead Senior Investigator of complex Worker's Compensation investigations.
Hot Pursuit, Inc., President (2023)
- Crime Foreseeability
- Deadly/Excessive Force
- Jails & Prisons
- Law Enforcement
- Police Procedures
- Q: Please list your professional accreditations, degrees, licenses, and certificates granted:
- A: Diploma: Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) Academy 1980
California Commission Peace Officer Standardized Training:
- Certifications: Basic, Intermediate, Advanced, Supervisory (1980 to 2013).
Advanced Officer School (1983)
Advanced Field Officer School (1986)
Defensive Driving School (Advanced) 1986
Juvenile Procedures School (1991)
Narcotics Investigation School (1992)
Instructor Development School (1997)
Arrest and Control School (ARCON) (1997)
Bicycle School (1997)
Supervisory Development School (1999)
Internal Affairs Investigations (1999)
Watch Commander School (2000)
University of Southern California (USC) & Latin American Law Enforcement Association:
- Theory and Practice of Ethics in Policing (2000)
Sherman Block Supervisory Leadership Institute, Class 174 (2005)
Applied Leadership for Employee Relations (2006)
Certificates:
Intoximeter Certification (1999)
Los Angeles Police Department, Hollywood Division, Crime Free Multi-Housing Program
City of Los Angeles, Entry-Level Oral Board Certification, Police Candidate Certification Interview Techniques (2003)
Los Angeles Police Department, Personnel Division, Civil Service Rules and Procedures (2002)
Los Angeles Police Department, Emergency Management (SEMS/NIMS) (2002-2007)
Bureau of Security and California Licensed Private Investigator (License No. PI 27142) (2007-Present)
Open Source Intelligence Investigations, (OSINT) Camelot Investigations Certification (2018 & 2023)
- Q: Please list your affiliations or memberships in any professional and/or industry organizations:
- A: Affiliations:
American Society of Criminology-Division of Policing
Americans for Effective Law Enforcement (AELE)
Los Angeles Police Protective League
California Commission Peace Officer Standardized Training (POST)
Bureau of Security and Investigative Services (BSIS)
The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention
California Coast University - Continued Education Completion - Bachelor of Arts - Criminal Justice (2024)
The Institutes Risk & Insurance Group - Continued Education Completion - Associate in Risk Management (2024)
Bureau of Justice Statistics
United States Department of Justice - Office of Juvenile Justice-Office of Justice Programs
California Association of Licensed Investigators (CALI-CA)
Southern California Fraud Investigators Association (SCFIA)
International Association of Chief's of Police (IACP)
- Q: Please list any teaching or speaking experience you have had, including subject matter:
- A: Lead daily training of both police and civilian employees over the span of my career in each area of expertise.
Assigned as a criminal law instructor with the Los Angeles Police Department (Department), Law Training Unit. Assigned to coordinate curriculum and teach standardized P.O.S.T Criminal Law, incorporating Department policy and related tactics to police recruits as well as "In-Service" training to all levels of police and civilian employees.
Assigned to numerous public events as a Sergeant, Watch Commander, Investigator, Community Policing Member and Chaplain.
Spoke to a group of approximately 2000 individuals at the 2002, Community Police Advisory Board (CPAB) Summit, Getty Museum, Getty Research Institute.
Assigned to train several hundred personnel, City of Los Angeles Public Access Defibrillation Program (2007), and received a Certificate of Appreciation, on behalf of Mayor, City Council, and Los Angeles Fire Department, Chief Douglass Barry, and acknowledged in Council Chambers.
Have spoken at numerous Department meetings and as a fact witness during hostile interviews with personnel while assigned as investigator at Internal Affairs Division
Numerous crisis negotiations throughout career in the field. Experienced speaking under stressful cross examination within the California Superior Court preliminary hearings and trials.
- Q: Have any of your accreditations ever been investigated, suspended or removed? (if yes, explain)
- A: No.
- Q: On how many occasions have you been retained as an expert?
- A: 5
- Q: For what area(s) of expertise have you been retained as an expert?
- A: 42 U.S.C. Civil Rights Violation §1983 (Excess Force)
Unlawful Detention/Arrest - (Reasonable Suspicion/Probable Cause)
Law Enforcement Procedure/Protocol
Law Enforcement Training/Policy
Emergency Driving Procedures
Tactics
Use of Force
Use of Lethal Force
Evidence Processes/Preservation
Arrest Report Analysis
Police Professionalism - General/Specific
- Q: In what percentage of your cases were you retained by the plaintiff?
- A: 60%
- Q: In what percentage of your cases were you retained by the defendant?
- A: 40%
- Q: On how many occasions have you had your deposition taken?
- A: None.
- Q: When was the last time you had your deposition taken?
- A: Not yet deposed as an expert.
- Q: On how many occasions have you been qualified by a court to give expert testimony?
- A: Testified in County of Los Angeles Superior Court and the Los Angeles Municipal Courts well over 150 times during my tenure as as a police officer. Testified under oath during Los Angeles Police Department, Board of Rights hearings with the Department Advocates Office for case preparation and argumentation during hearings.
- Q: On how many occasions have you testified as an expert in court or before an arbitrator?
- A: None.
- Q: For how many years have you worked with the legal industry as an expert?
- A: Since 1980 to present.
- Q: What services do you offer? (E.g.: consulting, testing, reports, site inspections etc.)
- A: Police Practices, Policy & Procedure; Use-of-force; Jail Policy;
In-Custody Death; Pursuit Policy; Risk Management Consultant; Internal Affairs; Property Evidence; Trial preparation and submission of Rule 26 reports. - Q: What is your hourly rate to consult with an attorney?
- A: Negotiable.
- Q: What is your hourly rate to review documents?
- A: Negotiable.
Hot cases due within 10 business-days of request will be $450.00 per billable hour and the retainer will be negotiated based on case details. - Q: What is your hourly rate to provide deposition testimony?
- A: $350.00 per billable hour.
- Q: What is your hourly rate to provide testimony at trial?
- A: $350.00 per hour per billable hour.
- Q: Please list any fees other than those stated above (E.g.: travel expenses, copy fees, etc.)
- A: Any fees such as travel by air, rental car, hotel and per diem will be actual costs with receipt. Per Diem will be at GSA rates. Air travel will be business class for travel under 2 hours. Air Travel 3 or more hours will be first class, not part of the retainer.
All issues related to billable hours, travel, cancellation of depositions, trials or meetings and related costs, will be covered in the Hot Pursuit, Inc. - Retainer Agreement.
The Hot Pursuit, Inc. - Retainer Agreement must be agreed upon and signed by both parties with receipt of the non-refundable retainer of $4,000.00 prior to commencement of any case-work.
Travel time will be $125.00 per hour unless conducting other case work for such case.
Available Upon Request