Justin Beaver
founder - president
Culper Consulting, LLC
Justin Beaver is the Founder, President and Principal Consultant of Culper Consulting, LLC, a firm dedicated to advising public safety leaders, municipal executives, and institutional decision-makers on leadership strategy, governance, and organizational risk management.
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With more than two decades of law enforcement experience, Justin currently oversees key administrative and operational support functions within a mid-sized police department in Los Angeles County, responsible for areas that underpin departmental governance, training, policy development, and internal accountability. His work provides direct insight into the systems and processes that sustain modern public safety organizations.
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In addition to his law enforcement service, Justin also serves as Deputy Mayor for a community in San Bernardino County, where he participates in the policymaking and fiscal oversight that shape municipal priorities, including public safety funding, risk management, and community protection strategies. Twice elected, Justin has now served for nearly six years in local government as an elected official.Â
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This rare dual perspective, working within public safety organizations while also serving in elected office, positions Justin to understand both the operational realities faced by public safety agencies and the governance responsibilities carried by municipal leadership.
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Through Culper Consulting, Justin advises chiefs of police, command staff, city executives, school administrators, and governing bodies on the complex intersection of leadership, policy, preparedness, and organizational accountability. His work frequently focuses on strengthening communication between public safety agencies and the governing institutions that oversee them.
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Culper Consulting also works with schools, campuses, and places of worship to evaluate security posture and identify vulnerabilities through professional assessments, security program analysis, and red team audits designed to test preparedness under realistic conditions.
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Justin founded Culper Consulting on a simple premise: effective public safety leadership requires a clear understanding of both operational realities and the governing environments in which public safety institutions operate.
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At Culper, the mission is straightforward, provide leaders with the strategic insight and practical perspective necessary to strengthen institutions, reduce risk, and make informed decisions when it matters most.
jbeaver@culperca.com
Trevor Benson
Executive Vice President - Operations
Culper Consulting, LLC
Trevor is a seasoned public safety executive with over two decades of law enforcement and public administration experience spanning municipal government, state agencies, and federal railroad jurisdiction across Southern California and beyond.
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Currently, Trevor serves simultaneously as a sworn deputy sheriff with a major Southern California county sheriff’s department and as Public Safety Manager for a San Bernardino County municipality, a uniquely expansive executive role in which he provides unified oversight of the city’s public safety enterprise. In this capacity, Trevor directs and coordinates police services, fire and emergency services, emergency management, and code enforcement operations while serving as a principal advisor to executive leadership on matters of public safety policy, organizational preparedness, risk management, and strategic planning.
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Trevor is responsible for the preparation, administration, and ongoing management of a public safety budget exceeding $30 million annually, balancing operational demands, personnel costs, capital improvement priorities, emergency preparedness initiatives, and long-term community safety objectives. He regularly collaborates with elected officials, executive leadership, contract service providers, and regional stakeholders to align public safety resources with organizational goals while ensuring fiscal responsibility, operational effectiveness, and organizational resilience.
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In addition to budget administration, Trevor leads policy development and compliance initiatives, manages critical interagency partnerships, oversees emergency operations planning and continuity of operations efforts, and maintains the integration of Incident Command System principles across municipal operations. His unique combination of executive-level budgetary responsibility and operational public safety leadership provides a rare perspective on the intersection of governance, finance, risk management, and public safety operations.
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Prior to his current appointment, Trevor served as a field supervisor and watch commander with a Los Angeles County municipal police department, providing direct oversight of patrol operations, criminal investigations, use of force review, pursuit and critical incident management, and jail operations for a community of approximately 65,000 residents.
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Throughout his career, Trevor has served in a variety of assignments including patrol, field training officer, task force officer, K9 handler, detective, and tactical operations. He has participated in numerous high-profile public safety operations and special events, including the 2012 NATO/G8 Summit in Chicago, Illinois, Super Bowl XLIX, and multiple multi-agency warrant operations conducted across several states.
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Trevor’s combination of executive municipal leadership, public safety budget administration, operational command experience, and intergovernmental coordination provides clients with practical, real-world insight into the challenges facing modern municipalities and public safety organizations. He specializes in helping agencies bridge the gap between operational realities, fiscal constraints, and strategic governance objectives.
tbenson@culperca.com
Grant Malinowski
Executive Director - Fire & Emergency Services
Culper Consulting, LLC
Grant Malinowski is an accomplished fire service executive with 26 years of experience in fire suppression, emergency medical services, emergency management, wildfire mitigation, and all-hazards incident response. His career includes more than a decade of Chief Officer leadership and eight years serving as Fire Chief for a Southern California municipality.
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As Fire Chief, Grant provides executive leadership for the delivery of fire protection, advanced life support, emergency preparedness, and community risk-reduction services. His approach combines operational readiness with strong fiscal stewardship, ensuring that public safety resources are aligned with community needs, identified risks, and long-term municipal priorities.
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Grant led the development and implementation of a comprehensive local hazard and wildfire mitigation strategy that resulted in his community being recognized as a California Fire Risk Reduction Community. Under his leadership, the community established five nationally recognized Firewise Communities and developed a localized Community Wildfire Protection Plan to strengthen preparedness, reduce exposure, and improve resilience within the wildland-urban interface.
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A licensed paramedic for more than 23 years, Grant brings extensive expertise in emergency medical services administration, clinical quality assurance, advanced life support delivery, and provider education. He served for 11 years as an Emergency Medical Services Coordinator for a major California fire agency and has represented the fire service on numerous regional EMS committees, working groups, and educational advisory boards.
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Grant is also a rostered Incident Commander with a regional All-Hazard Interagency Incident Management Team and is qualified as a Type III Incident Commander. His command experience encompasses wildland fire, complex emergencies, public information, interagency coordination, and large-scale incident management. He has also served as a Public Information Officer and municipal emergency management representative.
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Throughout his career, Grant has contributed extensively to the education and professional development of firefighters, paramedics, emergency medical technicians, and public safety leaders. He has served on several college and regional occupational education advisory committees, helping align fire and EMS education with evolving operational and workforce needs.
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Grant holds associate degrees with distinction in Emergency Medical Services and Fire Technology and is completing a bachelor’s degree in Leadership Studies. He is a California State Fire Marshal Certified Chief Fire Officer and maintains extensive command, instructional, incident management, and emergency medical qualifications.
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At Culper Consulting, Grant advises municipalities, fire agencies, public safety executives, and institutional leaders on fire and EMS service delivery, wildfire resilience, community risk reduction, emergency preparedness, operational assessments, and executive fire service strategy. His combination of municipal leadership, field command experience, clinical expertise, and data-driven decision-making provides clients with practical guidance for building modern, efficient, and resilient emergency service organizations.
gmalinowski@culperca.com
Dr. Stone James, DPPD
Senior Stratigic advisor
Culper Consulting, LLC
Stone James, DPPD, is an accomplished municipal leader and public administrator whose career reflects a rare combination of strategic vision, financial acumen, and collaborative leadership across both public and private sectors. As a former City Manager of the City of Twentynine Palms, Stone oversaw all city departments while driving transformational organizational improvements, including facilitating the City's first comprehensive five-year strategic plan, leading a general tax measure to improve fiscal health, and managing the City’s emergency and public relations responses to the Palm Springs fertility clinic bombing, multiple severe flooding events, and various law enforcement-related situations. Prior to his role as City Manager, Stone served as Director of Economic Development for the City of Cathedral City, where he attracted over $100 million in private investment, and generated more than $160 million in projected wage income. Across both roles, Stone has built a reputation for building trust with elected officials, empowering staff, and forging productive relationships with county, state, and federal partner agencies.
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​Before transitioning to public service, Stone spent over 15 years in private sector real estate development, holding senior roles with Toll Brothers, Richmond American Homes, and Land Advisors Organization. In those capacities, he evaluated over $680 million in prospective transactions, managed more than $250 million in land investment and development opportunities, and negotiated complex deals ranging from 20,000 square foot commercial pads to 1,100+ acre master planned communities. This private sector foundation gives Stone an operator's understanding of high-stakes negotiations, understanding market dynamics, and working through financial and operational challenges needed to drive successful development, a perspective he brings directly to bear in his consulting work.​
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Stone holds a Doctor of Policy, Planning, and Development and a Master of Real Estate Development, both from the University of Southern California, as well as a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting from Gonzaga University. He is an Accredited California Economic Developer (ACE), a licensed California Real Estate Broker, and a candidate for ICMA Credentialed Manager designation. Rounding out his professional profile, Stone has served for over 24 years as a sworn Los Angeles County Sheriff's Reserve Deputy and Emergency Medical Technician— experience that has sharpened his ability to lead under pressure, manage risk, and make decisive, sound judgments in complex and dynamic environments.
sjames@culperca.com
Patricia Tachias
Senior Stratigic advisor
Culper Consulting, LLC
With nearly two decades of progressive leadership experience in public safety communications and administration, Patricia has established a strong record of organizational leadership, operational excellence, and service innovation. She is committed to fostering collaboration, improving organizational effectiveness, and advancing the delivery of high-quality services.
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Patricia holds a Master of Science in Public Safety Leadership and Administration from Arizona State University, where she further developed expertise in leadership, organizational management, and public sector administration. This academic foundation complements her extensive practical experience and supports a leadership approach focused on strategic planning, continuous improvement, and professional development
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Patricia’s experience in the public sector offers significant value to private-sector organizations. Through years of leading complex operations in high-pressure, service-driven environments, she has developed expertise in strategic planning, cross-functional leadership, process improvement, and organizational performance. Her ability to manage critical operations, build collaborative teams, and implement solutions that improve efficiency and service delivery positions her to help private-sector organizations strengthen operations, lead change, and achieve business objectives with accountability and innovation.
ptachias@culperca.com
Jennifer Wu
Senior consultant - emergency management
Culper Consulting, LLC
Jennifer brings more than 15 years of public sector experience in emergency management, operational preparedness, and interagency coordination to Culper Consulting. Throughout her career, she has helped public agencies strengthen their ability to prepare for, respond to, and recover from emergencies through practical planning, collaborative leadership, and operational excellence.
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Jennifer currently serves as an Emergency Services Coordinator for an expansive Riverside County Fire Department, where she supports emergency preparedness initiatives, emergency planning, incident coordination, and partnerships across multiple agencies. Prior to her current assignment, she spent more than thirteen years with the Azusa Police Department, serving first as a Community Service Officer before being selected as the department's Emergency Services Coordinator. In that role, she was responsible for developing emergency plans, coordinating training and exercises, managing preparedness initiatives, and strengthening operational readiness across the organization.
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In addition to her public service career, Jennifer is the owner of Eighty Eight Media Consulting, providing strategic communications and media services that complement her emergency management background with strong public engagement and communication skills.
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Jennifer earned her Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from California Coast University and is currently completing her Master of Public Administration at California Baptist University, further strengthening her expertise in organizational leadership and public sector management.
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At Culper Consulting, Jennifer specializes in emergency management, emergency operations planning, preparedness programs, continuity planning, training and exercises, and interagency coordination. Her combination of operational experience, collaborative leadership, and strategic thinking helps clients build resilient organizations capable of responding effectively to today's complex threats.