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Detective Wayne R. Spees (Ret) is a 31-year veteran of the San Diego Police Department (SDPD). Mr. Spees is a recognized expert in the response to active shooter tactics. He developed San Diego Police Department’s first active shooter response tactics and has trained officers from throughout San Diego County since 2001. Additionally, he created “Response to Active Shooter” training modules designed for public and private sector organizations that emphasizes situational awareness and safety measures to help employees increase their chances of survival in such an event.

Mr. Spees’ professional expertise also includes threat assessment, hostage (crisis) negotiation, site security, executive protection, and personal safety consultation and training. As an effective and engaging trainer, Mr. Spees has instructed numerous human resources personnel in crisis de-escalation training, teaching crisis communication skills that are invaluable for managing people who are angry, upset or suicidal in the workplace. Further, Mr. Spees has presented valuable safety and communications programs to a number of public and private companies in Southern California.

Prior to working with clients in both the private and public sector, Mr. Spees has been an instructor for police tactics for 29 years, instructing more than 10,000 officers in subjects such as active shooter response, response to ambush, surveillance and counter surveillance, and officer safety. Mr. Spees also served 9 years on SWAT and 15 years as a Team Leader for the Emergency Negotiation Team for the SDPD, and worked protective details for the California Governor’s office, San Diego Mayor’s office and several celebrities. He has also provided dignitary protection and site security assessments, and worked closely with the U.S. Secret Service, protecting the U.S. President, Vice President and other high-ranking members of the federal government.

Mr. Spees has also worked with the military Special Forces to assist operators in working undercover assignments. Before his retirement from the SDPD, Mr. Spees was assigned to the SDPD Criminal Intelligence Unit, where his responsibilities included international and domestic terror groups and threat assessment investigations.

As a state-recognized expert in hostage/crisis negotiations, Mr. Spees is a graduate of the FBI’s National Crisis Negotiation Course at Quantico, Va. and the Scotland Yard National Hostage/Crisis Negotiation Course at Hendon, England. Mr. Spees earned a B.S. in administration of justice from Pennsylvania State University. He also holds numerous training certificates and instructor credentials in police-related fields.