Mr. Berkow joined the Coast Guard Investigative Service in October 2012. With more than 30 years in law enforcement, Mr. Berkow is an experienced police executive with extensive knowledge of both the domestic and international arenas. He is a published author and guest lecturer on a variety of topics including; community-oriented policing, integrity, and the operation of internal misconduct systems.
In October of 2009, Mr. Berkow became President of Altegrity Security Consulting, a business unit of Altegrity that provides innovative solutions for public safety, private sector, and government agencies in the United States and around the world. In October of 2011, the company merged with Kroll Security Group, and Berkow became president of the new Kroll unit that focuses on operational, technical, management and training solutions for security and public safety.
An acknowledged expert on police investigations, discipline, and management, Mr. Berkow possesses vast experience in global policing and security solutions, having served in high-level positions in both the U.S. and international law enforcement communities. Through multiple assignments, he has been instrumental in efforts to advance the principles of rule of law in Somalia, Haiti, Jamaica, Kenya, Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania, Tanzania, Uganda, and Yemen. In 2006, he was a member of the Expert Group for the Implementation of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption. As President of ASC, Mr. Berkow is heavily involved in significant police re-engineering and training efforts in the US, South America, the Middle East and the Caribbean.
Prior to Altegrity Security Consulting, Mr. Berkow commanded the Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police Department in Savannah, Georgia. He accepted the position in November of 2006 with the goal of reducing crime and creating a world-class police agency in the merged city/county department.
Prior to his move to the south, Mr. Berkow served as a Deputy Chief in charge of the Professional Standards Bureau and Chief of Staff with the Los Angeles Police Department. He joined LAPD in 2003 as the first outsider appointed to a sworn staff officer position and was responsible for all anti-corruption, misconduct, and use of force investigations. Mr. Berkow was also heavily involved in counter terrorism strategies, leadership training and development.
Mr. Berkow also worked with the London Metropolitan Police Service following the July 7, 2005 bombings in London and was further retained to examine leadership training and operations within the department.
Before joining LAPD, Mr. Berkow led departments in Coachella, South Pasadena and Irvine, California. In each city, he employed a geographic model of policing to reduce crime and increase accountability within the departments.