Joseph Spiess

With more than 32 years’ experience as a former police officer, Joseph Spiess is a retired Major with the St. Louis Police Department and a certified expert in workplace and school violence prevention strategies. During Major Spiess’ service, he was a member of the St. Louis Major Case Squad responsible for investigating high profile homicide cases, and he also spent time investigating large-scale crime in the Intelligence Division. Additionally, Major Spiess spent time working as a Task Force Detective in the St. Louis DEA and was a supervisor for the department’s SWAT and Civil Disobedience Team.

Since 2002, Major Spiess has developed and conducted numerous training events for officers and supervisors. These events have centered on of variety of topics including Sexual Harassment in the Workplace, Advanced Street Patrol, A Police Perspective for Dispatchers, Command Response to an Active Shooter Incident and training for newly promoted supervisors. Major Spiess is currently working as a trainer for the National Sheriffs’ Association and the Department of Homeland Security. In this role, he travels nationwide to conduct All Hazards Awareness for citizens. In addition, he has provided training for Department District Commanders in the best practices of oversight and managing of Districts in the City of St. Louis. Major Spiess developed and taught the 7th District Officer Safety Program, a progressive safety training which includes realistic role play scenarios, critiques and classroom presentation.

In response to numerous active shooter events both at schools and businesses around the country, Major Spiess created JLS Consulting LLC in 2014. The consulting group consists of highly experienced law enforcement personnel, offering training and consulting services to both schools and businesses. Included in those trainings were site assessments of schools or company facilities to include safe rooms and victim options in a violent event. Also included was a policy review for prevention of a violent act and management of teams to monitor, evaluate, and reach decisions with regard to an identified threat. JLS Consulting also conducts workplace and school violence prevention seminars to school administrators, business leadership and front line employees.

Major Spiess holds a master’s degree in Management from Webster University with an emphasis in Corporate Security.