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VITAL STATISTICS
Name: John William Kennish, CPP
Website: http://www.kennish.com
Education: Bachelor of science in criminal justice, bachelor of
science in sociology, master of science in industrial security, master of science in industrial safety; all from
Central Missouri State University, Warrensburg, Missouri
Accreditations: American Society for Industrial Security, Certified
Protection Professional (CPP), former Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE), and licensed private investigator
Memberships: International
Association of Professional Security Consultants, American Society for Industrial Security, American Society of
Safety Engineers, National Crime Victim Bar Association
Of Note: Author of numerous articles for international security,
auditing and business magazines, one of which, "The Investigative Process," received the 1986 Outstanding
Outside Contributor Award from the Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA); co-authored the Ford Foundation's 1976
research study "Domestic Violence and the Police: Studies in Detroit and Kansas"
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John Kennish, a Charter Allied Professional Member of the National Crime Victim Bar Association,
has over 30 years of experience in the criminal justice and security fields. In addition to working as a full-time
security consultant, a few of John's special projects include the restoration of classic Jaguars, automobiles,
his country home and gardens in Connecticut, antique furniture, and a 60-year old solid teak and mahogany sail
boat. He took a break from cutting firewood to talk with us about his career, and working with crime victims.
Q: What led you to become a security consultant?
A: Early in my career, as a young police officer in the cities of Detroit and Kansas City, it became evident
to me that violence was ingrained in the American culture; and as we know, that trend has not diminished to the
present day despite general social progress. From kicking the cat, to road rage, to beating someone up at the local
tavern, to shooting up our schools, to murdering our co-workers and family members, we do not handle frustration
and resulting anger well. That early lesson has stayed with me, and became the basis for my development into the
role I now fill. What also became evident to me was that the criminal justice system did not represent the needs
of victims of crime very well, in great part because that was not their mission. Nevertheless, victims suffered
as a direct result.
While the system did address questions related to offenders, such as how to deter them from committing future crimes,
the system was not charged with the responsibility to correct the environments within which these criminal acts
often had their causal roots- the system was reactive, and not proactive. In fact, and going back not too many
years, there were no security consultants, or premises security cases, or organizations that cared about the needs
of crime victims. The courts were not in a position to care, the police did the best they could, the domestic violence
victim was directed toward her priest for council, and several weeks later, either she or her husband would murder
the other. This pattern repeated itself again, and again.
Q: What do you like about working on these types of cases?
A: My participation has often been critical to supporting a positive outcome in many of the cases that I have
been engaged in. My experiences as a security consultant have indicated to me that while the majority of attorneys
have a splendid grasp of the law and legal protocol, they may also benefit greatly from the input of an experienced
consultant. I view this as supporting a meaningful cause.
Q: What do you envision the role of a security consultant to be in civil cases involving criminal victims?A:
Generally, a security expert is one whose qualifications and experiences are often vital to understanding the features
of the case, defining reasonableness, and then establishing, or denying, a claim of negligence. He or she may explain
just how a breach of security principles or standards in fact caused or permitted an environment of opportunity
to exist, and a crime to occur. On the other hand, a consultant may attack the required elements by developing
a denial to duty owed by the owner to protect the plaintiff, that such a duty was breached when it was not, or
that such a breach was not the proximate cause of the incident.
Cases may be won or lost due to the expert's keen perceptiveness, and ability to ingest thousands of items of
information regarding a case, only then to identify the single entry, on a single page, from the thousands that
are reviewed, that supports an approach to victory. Or, the defining moment in an expert's investigation may occur
when he or she makes a 4:00 A.M. visit to the scene of the crime, and uses his or her senses to conclude and establish
important points that were not previously identified. To apply one of my favorite quotes from Sherlock Holmes,
"It is a capital mistake to theorize before one has data. Insensibly one begins to twist facts to suit theories,
instead of theories to suit facts." This was true then, and it continues to be true today. The competent expert
can untwist those facts and help plot an effective, and often winning, strategy.
Q: What in your day-to-day activities relates to your work as an expert?
A: As my approach is proactive as opposed to reactive, I tend to evaluate various environments as I am out
and about, to gain a continuing base of knowledge of the current status of conditions in society. This can occur
as I travel, or visit an ATM, theater, apartment complex, health care facility, university, highway rest area,
resort, restaurant, service station, mall, sporting event, or other place of business.
For example, recently I stayed in a new hotel in Memphis where I was conducting site survey work for a client during
early morning hours. During my two-week stay I had the opportunity to really evaluate the security operation of
the hotel, as a hotel patron, during its high-risk period of the night. It was gratifying to see that the hotel's
security operation, from what I could observe in terms of administrative controls, facility design considerations,
the application of security equipment, and the use of security personal, appeared to be effective in providing
a reasonably secure environment. My impression was that someone of authority over the hotel's design, and management,
had paid attention to the security function needs, based upon some form of motivation, which likely could have
been a litigation experience.
Q: What do you find rewarding about your work?
A: Often the perspective of the expert not only compliments the efforts of counsel, but in fact, can be the
actual point which these often emotional, riveting and jury-sensitive cases, are determined or successfully settled.
Working as a member of a competent legal team, on complex and relevant cases, has been a gratifying experience
for me. In addition, I think that an expert's work can have an impact on society, and lead to positive social change.
Successful litigation from the crime victim's stand point can result in improvements in the security practices
property owners and managers. Finally, I make a difference in the lives of crime victims and others, by working
to prevent the physical and psychological effects of future crime.
John W. Kennish, CPP - Security Consultant
62 East Pond Meadow Road, Westbrook, Connecticut 06498
Phone: (860) 399-8545
Fax: (860) 399-4150
Kennish.com
E-Mail John Kennish
© 2000 John W. Kennish, CPP
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