Joe Gutierrez | Instructor & Consultant

Joe brings over four decades of public safety experience to his role as Instructor and Consultant at Knowledge Saves Lives. A retired Commander with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD), Joe has led tactical teams, overseen homeland security operations, and served as a chief of police for an unincorporated community. His breadth of leadership includes SWAT command, court security, detective supervision, and emergency incident management. He has also held statewide law enforcement training leadership roles and taught at the university level—underscoring his commitment to education, safety, and public service.

Relevant Qualifications & Experience

Instructor & Consultant – Knowledge Saves Lives, Inc. (2023–Present) Delivers expert instruction and consulting on emergency preparedness, lockdown procedures, and workplace safety planning for schools, agencies, and organizations across California.

Hearing Officer – City of Los Angeles (2019–2023) Oversaw and adjudicated appeals on traffic citations and vehicle impoundments. Brought deep law enforcement insight and impartiality to civil administrative hearings.

Senior Consultant – California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (CA POST) (2014–2017) Served as statewide administrator for POST’s Supervisory Leadership Institute and Command College programs. Developed curriculum and led training initiatives for California’s emerging law enforcement leaders.

Commander – Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD) (1978–2013) Held command-level oversight of the Homeland Security Division (including SWAT, Aero Bureau, and Emergency Operations), as well as County-wide Court Security.

• Served as a Department Tactical Commander, overseeing major incidents including earthquakes, wildfires, civil unrest, and high-profile protests.

• As Captain, acted as Chief of Police for an unincorporated Los Angeles County community (pop. 60,000).

• Also commanded the Special Victims Unit, supervising detectives handling sensitive and high-impact cases.

• As a Lieutenant, served as full-time SWAT Commander, leading over 200 high-risk tactical operations with the LASD Special Enforcement Bureau.

Adjunct Lecturer – California State University, Long Beach (2003–2006) Taught undergraduate and graduate courses in supervision, management, and critical incident response within the Administration of Justice department.

Education, Certifications & Service

• Master of Public Administration – California State University, Northridge

• Bachelor of Science – Business Administration

• Associate of Science – Administration of Justice

• California POST Management Certificate

• SWAT Operations Certified

• SWAT Command Certified

• NIMS Instructor Certified (National Incident Management System)

Community & Leadership Involvement

• High School Sports Boosters – Active member supporting student athletes and school engagement through fundraising and event support.

• Youth Sports Coach – Volunteered as a baseball and soccer coach for local youth programs for several years.

Training Specialties & Consulting at KSL

• Lockdown & Emergency Preparedness Training

• Tactical Response & Incident Command Instruction

• Workplace Violence Prevention & Safety Planning

• Emergency Operations Consulting

• High-Risk Incident Response (Natural Disasters, Civil Unrest)

• Leadership Development & Scenario-Based Training