About Ralph Witherspoon

Ralph Witherspoon's professional background includes more than 22 years of practical, hands-on, corporate-level security work with a highly diversified Fortune 100 company. His experience there included all phases of security and loss prevention, including criminal investigations and prosecutions; risk assessments and physical security plans and programs for facilities and premises ranging from retail stores to manufacturing plants, motel and restaurant chains (including associated bars and lounges), low- and high-rise office buildings, and much more.

In 1991 Ralph started Witherspoon Security Consulting, an independent, non-product affiliated security consultancy, advising a wide variety of businesses, plus government and private organizations, on various security issues and matters.

Currently, Ralph consults with plaintiff and defense attorneys throughout the United States who are handling lawsuits involving premises security liability for third-party crimes such as assault, murder, rape and robbery, also known as "negligent or inadequate security" cases. He has been retained in well over 300 such matters. While he has an extensive security background in many areas, currently Ralph concentrates on consulting to attorneys handling litigation cases involving the hospitality industry (bars, taverns, lounges  and nightclubs (includiing adult entertainment clubs, plus their parking, and any associated/co-located lodgings or restaurantsnts, etc.)

Ralph has been qualified and testified as an expert on various aspects of security in numerous state and Federal courts. In 2007 a United States District Court held that the Forensic Methodology Ralph uses to retrospectively assess premises liability cases was “reliable” under FRE 702 and the Supreme Court's rubric in Daubert and Kuhmo Tire.

Ralph has been designated since 1985, after written examination by the American Society for Industrial Security (the world's largest professional security organization with over 33,000 members), as a Certified Protection Professional (CPP), denoting Board Certification in Security Management. His re-certification every three years attests to Ralph's continued practical and academic mastery of the body of security and loss prevention knowledge. He has also been designated, after written examination by the International Association of Professional Security Consultants, as a Certified Security Consultant (CSC).

Previously Ralph served part-time for a number of years on the Adjunct Faculty of a Cleveland-area college. Ralph has also served as an elected officer and served multiple terms on the Board of Directors of the IAPSC, a professional organization representing independent security and loss prevention consultants.

This profile not for disclosure or designation use. To request a full CV, contact Ralph Witherspoon at 440-779-3803 or witherspoon@security-expert.org.

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