Specialties & Experience of this Expert Witness

Additional Information

Karen is recently retired from law enforcement, having been employed as a police officer with the Los Angeles Police Department and Oceanside Police Department for a total of 30 years, retiring as a Lieutenant with the Oceanside Police Department. Karen brings experience from a multifaceted career, having been assigned to or responsible for units such as K9, Crisis Negotiation Team, SWAT, Crisis Response Team, Homeless Outreach Team, Harbor Operations, Psychological Evaluation Response Team, Internal Affairs, Community Resource Team, and Investigations. Karen was a Detective Sergeant, supervising the Robbery-Homicide Unit, Crimes of Violence Unit, and Property Crimes Unit. She investigated hundreds of criminal cases ranging from low-level thefts to homicide. The City of Oceanside brings tourists from around the globe, offering a variety of destination activities. Karen planned and organized large-scale special events such as the City of Oceanside’s July 4th celebrations, music concerts, and sporting events. This coordination involved Security, Law Enforcement, Fire, Public Works, Legal Affairs, Traffic Regulations, and Community Education. As the Professional Standards Lieutenant, Karen evaluated all Use of Force and pursuit incidents to determine policy compliance, developed and maintained progressive law enforcement policies and procedures, and investigated internal and external complaints. She also managed the Department’s Background Unit, facilitating recruitment, pre-employment testing, and hiring. In addition to managing her consultancy, Laser Consulting, Karen is the senior consultant of Kephart Consulting, LLC. Kephart Consulting has over 36+ years of successful consulting and expert witness experience in police and security best practices. This consultancy's emphasis is on security best practices, premise liability, and crowd control/management cases. Karen possesses a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a Master of Science in Criminal Justice, emphasizing Law Enforcement. Expert services include professional, unbiased, and objective assistance for law enforcement and security-related cases.