STOCKTON, Calif., September 29, 2020,  Guardian Alliance Technologies, Inc. announced today the addition of Michael J. LeMieux to its Advisory Board, further demonstrating the company’s commitment to innovation and leadership.

Michael LeMieux has 24 years of federal law enforcement service and retired from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) as a Supervisory Special Agent. Mr. LeMieux began his federal law enforcement career as a uniformed Police Officer and Sergeant with the Department of the Interior, Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) and he is a graduate of the United States Indian Police Academy.   

Ryan Layne, CEO of Guardian, stated “We are honored to have Mike join our board of advisors.  Mike’s background and experience brings an entirely new level of expertise to our team.  Guardian is committed to having the most secure and CJIS compliant solution available, and Mike’s knowledge of these issues will help to ensure our clients can trust our application and be confident that we are taking every precaution possible.  Additionally, Mike will be instrumental in assisting Guardian as we expand into the tribal law enforcement market.  Tribal law enforcement comes with its own unique set of challenges and requirements, and Mike’s background and leadership in this area will be very beneficial to tribes across the country as we introduce our solution to them.” 

Spanning both his government and industry career, Mr. LeMieux has specialized on complex issues related to misuse of criminal justice information systems and addressed FBI CJIS Security Policy compliance issues. Mr. LeMieux has also served as a subject-matter expert (SME) for law enforcement and CJIS-related topics, including oversight of on-boarding and vetting, operations, training, and customer service management for a designated CJIS Systems Agency organization. Mr. LeMieux, an enrolled member of the Oneida Nation of Wisconsin, is the owner of Whiteriver LLC, a consulting and risk management firm that provides expertise on public safety, national security, and intellectual property topics.   

“I am excited to join such an esteemed group of law enforcement professionals and technology experts at Guardian Alliance Technologies. The important goal of effective and professional public safety services begins with the recruitment, selection and vetting of the very best candidates for this great profession. I have long admired how Guardian’s technology can be leveraged by public safety professionals in their mission to hire the best candidates for these critical public service roles, and I am particularly excited to help the Guardian team introduce these solutions to those public safety verticals where I had the honor to serve during my own law enforcement career”.

About Guardian

Guardian Alliance Holdings, Inc. and its subsidiary Guardian Alliance Technologies, Inc. are dedicated to protecting the integrity of the law enforcement profession through innovative solutions, technology, and strategic partnerships aimed at improving the process of vetting and hiring law enforcement professionals.

STOCKTON, Calif., September 23, 2020, Guardian Alliance Technologies, Inc. announced today the addition of Lonny Wilder to its Advisory Board.  Lonny is a career executive and specialist in the field of Public Safety training and communications.   Together, Guardian and Lonny will collaborate on initiatives that improve the Guardian Background Investigation Management Software and broadly expand awareness of Guardian among public safety leaders nationwide.

Ryan Layne, CEO of Guardian, stated, “We are extremely excited to be working with Lonny as we continue to build trust within the law enforcement community.  Lonny’s long-standing dedication to and reputation within the law enforcement profession will be instrumental as we continue to establish high-level relationships with governing bodies that help to shape and influence the adoption of new technologies and standards that will further advance best practices within law enforcement.”

Lonny previously served on the Technical Committee for the International Association of Directors of Law Enforcement Standards and Training (IADLEST) and was also the Project Manager and GSA Contract Administrator for the creation of the DHS funded U.S. Customs and Border Protection Television Network (CBP-TV), a seven year Master Services Agreement delivering training and emergency communications 24/7 to 540 CBP encrypted satellite sites.

“This time in our history has given rise to extreme challenges for Law Enforcement administrators and the counties and municipalities charged with the daunting task of supporting the ever-present and critically needed resource of public safety.” Wilder stated. “At no time in my over three decades of serving the Law Enforcement community have I seen a more dire need to focus on the betterment of hiring and retention practices of police personnel.

Through their innovative cloud-based and AI-centric software, Guardian Alliance Technologies has carved out a position as leader within the fast evolving arena of technology-based resources serving America’s brave Men and Women in blue. Lives are at stake and timing is critical. At exactly the right time Guardian answered the call to serve the greater good by substantially raising the overall integrity of managing what is clearly a gaping void in the very foundation of protecting our communities at large. I am both excited and honored to be supporting the efforts of this innovative and ground-breaking company.”

More About Lonny Wilder

Most recently, Lonny served as Vice President and General Manager of the Critical Information Network, a Public Safety Group comprising the Law Enforcement Training Network (LETN), Professional Security Training Network (PSTN) and the Fire and Emergency Training Network. Lonny also served on the start-up team for LETN in 1989 and in 1998 wrote the original business plan that began the company’s migration to the e-learning and online training space.

As Program Administrator for the DHS funded Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC’s) Rural Policing Institute, Lonny spearheaded a training initiative delivering on-line training to rural police departments nationwide. 

In 2002, Lonny authored the grant and secured the award from the DHS Office for Domestic Preparedness providing training and emergency communications to every Fire, EMS and Law Enforcement agency in the states of New Hampshire and Kansas. From 1989 – 2007 Lonny served as Contract Officer and Project Manager for the Continuing Services Agreement with the Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration directing all production and Project Order Compliance for NHTSA’s Law Enforcement training curriculum.

In 2011, working in concert with the National Association of School Resource Officers, Lonny completed production of an 11 hour video-based online curriculum specific to Campus Security. Over the past thirty years, Lonny has been a speaker and active participant in numerous events, committees and advisory boards within the community of Law Enforcement and numerous Public Safety constituent associations.

About Guardian Alliance Technologies

Guardian Alliance Technologies, Inc. is dedicated to protecting the integrity of the law enforcement profession through innovative solutions, technology, and strategic partnerships aimed at improving the process of vetting and hiring law enforcement professionals.

In addition to proprietary technology solutions, Guardian is proud to be regularly adding other, like minded companies and individuals to the Guardian Alliance, which is a consortium of community members, business leaders, law enforcement professionals, risk mitigation specialists, public safety officials, academia, NGOs, government officials, as well as like-minded industry partners that are committed to positively impacting their communities, cities and states by helping to support and advance the law enforcement profession.

Guardian Alliance Technologies (Guardian) announced today that it has reached Amazon Web Services (AWS) Partner Network (APN) Select Tier partner status. Using AWS, Guardian is able to accelerate its efforts to help law enforcement agencies better vet and hire law enforcement professionals using innovative cloud technology—strengthening the integrity of the profession and building public trust.

“As a former law enforcement officer, I’m seeing first-hand how harnessing the power of the AWS cloud is improving various activities within the public safety profession,” said Guardian President and Founder Justin Biedinger. “Our clients have come to expect excellence in both the AWS cloud and Guardian’s background investigation solutions, and we are looking forward to delivering even more offerings in the near future that will forever leave a positive mark on the public safety sector.”

Reaching Select Tier partner status lays the foundation for Guardian to transform how current and future clients investigate law enforcement applicants with accuracy, precision and speed. Additionally, Guardian and AWS will be releasing an educational series outlining innovative criminal justice reform technology solutions built specifically for Justice and Public Safety agencies. This follows Guardian’s participation in the recent FBI National Academy Associates (FBINAA) 2020 Virtual Leadership, Education and Networking Event.

“We’re pleased Guardian continues to expand their use of AWS—especially during a time when we are needed most by this sector,” said Ryan Reynolds, Justice and Public Safety Leader, Amazon Web Services, Inc. “We are committed to providing Guardian with AWS cloud services that are resilient, scalable and secure—all at the highest level—expected by this industry.”

About Guardian Alliance Technologies

Guardian Alliance Technologies, Inc. is dedicated to protecting the integrity of the law enforcement profession through innovative solutions, technology, and strategic partnerships aimed at improving the process of vetting and hiring law enforcement professionals.

In addition to proprietary technology solutions, Guardian is proud to be regularly adding other, like minded companies and individuals to the Guardian Alliance, which is a consortium of community members, business leaders, law enforcement professionals, risk mitigation specialists, public safety officials, academia, NGOs, government officials, as well as like-minded industry partners that are committed to positively impacting their communities, cities and states by helping to support and advance the law enforcement profession.

For more information about Guardian, visit:  www.guardianalliancetechnologies.com 

STOCKTON, Calif., Wednesday, August 26, 2020, Guardian Alliance Holdings, Inc. announced today the addition of Dennis J. Cagan to its Board of Directors, further demonstrating the company’s commitment to innovation and leadership.

Dennis Cagan is a noted high-technology entrepreneur, executive, and board director.  He has founded or co-founded over a dozen different companies and has taken some of them public.  He has served as CEO of both public and private companies, functioned as a venture capitalist, a private investor, a consultant, and a long-time professional board member – having served on over 67 corporate fiduciary boards.  

Adam Anthony, Chairman of the Board of Guardian, stated “We are honored and excited to have Dennis join our board.   He is a living embodiment of our core values of service, community, and integrity, and his vast experience, expertise, and in-depth understanding of our industry, make him uniquely suited to contribute significantly to our governance and growth.” 

Dennis is a recognized authority on corporate governance, boards of directors, information technology (including mobile applications, Internet, infrastructure, e-commerce, software, hardware, systems, cybersecurity, and communications), in the disciplines of governance, strategy, distribution channels, sales/marketing, and services.  He is in the IT Hall of Fame, and his book, The Board of Directors of a Private Enterprise, which released in 2017, is considered by many to be the most authoritative perspective available on private company boards and governance issues. 

“I am exceptionally pleased to be joining Guardian and its very accomplished team.” Cagan stated.   “Having previously run a public company dedicated in part to training professional law enforcement officers, both local and Federal, Guardian’s mission is very close to my heart. Guardian’s background investigation platform is more critical than ever to identifying officers best suited to lead the coming new age in police standards.”

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About Guardian

Guardian Alliance Holdings, Inc. and its subsidiary Guardian Alliance Technologies, Inc. are dedicated to protecting the integrity of the law enforcement profession through innovative solutions, technology, and strategic partnerships aimed at improving the process of vetting and hiring law enforcement professionals.

Guardian Alliance Technologies (GAT), today announced that the US District court in the Western District of Oklahoma will decide whether patents held by Miller Mendel, Inc. are valid or not. The announcement comes in the wake of a July 27, 2020 announcement by the US Patent and Trademark Office that they will forego a review of the MMI patent.

In October of 2018, Miller Mendel, Inc. (“MMI”) sued the City of Oklahoma City (“OKC”) in Oklahoma federal court, after the OKC Police Department chose the Guardian Background Investigation Platform over MMI’s eSoph system in an open bidding process. MMI alleges that the Guardian software infringes on MMI’s patent, but MMI did not sue Guardian, electing instead to sue OKC, a Guardian customer. Guardian is providing OKC with legal defense and has gathered overwhelming evidence that patents held by Miller Mendel are invalid and unenforceable. Guardian had asked the USPTO to review the evidence on hand, but they declined to commence a review and, thus, the matter will be decided in federal court. 

Evidence submitted to the court includes:

• The Patent Contains No Patentable Subject Matter.  The basic functions of the Miller Mendel software are not patentable under current US patent law. 
• Other Systems Existed Prior To The MMI Patent Filing (“prior art”).  Guardian and OKC have gathered overwhelming evidence that other software systems that performed identically to Miller Mendel’s eSOPH system were available years before Miller Mendel filed for its patent.  The prior existence of these systems render Miller Mendel’s patent invalid and unenforceable. 
• Failure To Disclose Constitutes Fraud On The Patent Office.  Unfortunately, despite clearly being aware of these systems and despite their legal obligation to disclose their existence to the Patent Office, Miller Mendel did not tell the US Patent Office about them and the Patent Office erroneously granted their patent.   A violation of duty of candor as mandated by 37 C.F.R. 1.56 with respect to any claim in an application or patent, renders all the claims thereof unpatentable or invalid and may constitute fraud.  US Patent Office – Violation of Duty To Disclose

Indisputable evidence [click to view evidence], gathered through a public records request, clearly shows that Tyler Miller had detailed information about at least one of the pre-existing systems, but failed to disclose this information to the patent office.

North Charleston, SC (February 24, 2020)- Guardian Alliance Technologies Inc., announced today that North Charleston Police Department (NCPD) has made advancements in the speed and accuracy of their pre-employment background investigations thanks to use of the Guardian Software Platform.  The department’s use of Guardian has streamlined background investigations for the now fully staffed North Charleston PD, assisting in the department’s ongoing efforts to put well qualified law enforcement personnel to work without the delays associated with traditional background methods.

“The Guardian platform and its host of services help us hire the best people,” said Keith Summey, Mayor of North Charleston.  “It’s the first time in over a decade that our North Charleston Police Department is fully staffed, making North Charleston safer and engaged with our communities more effectively. This is a rare feat for law enforcement. In the hiring process, we are doing what we can to put tangible, proven systems in place, like Guardian.”

That’s music to the ears of Guardian Founder and President, Justin Biedinger, a retired Stockton, California police officer and former background investigator, who says, “The Guardian platform was specifically designed by law enforcement professionals, for law enforcement professionals, to eliminate the inefficiencies and long timelines associated with traditional investigation management methods.  Hearing that one of our customer’s is fully staffed for the first time in over a decade is music to my ears.  That’s exactly the kind of impact Guardian was designed to make.”

Use of Guardian enables NCPD to complete backgrounds far faster, and with more accuracy than ever before thanks to advanced data mining and management tools, time-saving automation for certain tasks, and artificial intelligence used for social media screening.  With Guardian, as part of each investigation, NCPD can scan the web and identify any problematic social media posts that could indicate a candidate’s lack of suitability for public service with the push of a button, something that never happened before.

“Guardian has been a valuable tool in getting our background investigations completed,” said North Charleston Police Department, Deputy Chief Scott Deckard. “It allows the applicant to be active in their hiring process, while compiling the vital information into a concise report for review by those making hiring decisions. Guardian provides efficiency in the hiring process and increases the capacity of the background investigator.”

In addition to the time saving tools and social media screening abilities, Guardian’s National Applicant Information Center (NAIC), a centralized database exclusively available to Guardian users, gives investigators access to critical applicant information, such as job-seeking activity (i.e. tracking which agencies they’ve previously applied to) and a complete record of all information previously provided to any agency in the Guardian Alliance.  The NAIC offers an advanced level of security for participating agencies by flagging any changes applicants may make from one background questionnaire submission to the next.

“Our partnership with North Charleston PD is indicative of the city’s commitment to better serve their community.  They join an ever-growing list of public safety agencies who are taking steps to gain efficiency and reduce costs in the process of putting only the best qualified applicants to work,” said Ryan Layne, Guardian’s CEO.  “Trust in public service has never been more critical than it is today, and adoption of the Guardian Platform is one tangible step agencies can take as part of their continual efforts to strengthen that trust.”

For more information about Guardian Alliance Technologies, Inc., visit www.guardianalliancetechnologies.com 

Stockton, CA (February 28, 2020) – Guardian Alliance Technologies announces its new Triage Center, a technologically advanced intake system for Guardian’s comprehensive Personal History Questionnaire (PHQ) that enables agencies of all sizes to digitally collect and review applicant answers in a secure environment free of charge. The Triage Center moves the vast majority of law enforcement agencies into the modern era and away from paper-driven file management. 

The Guardian Platform, a Software as a Service in use by public safety organizations throughout the U.S., was built with input from experienced law enforcement background investigators across the country, and is designed to streamline and improve the pre-employment background investigation process for public safety agencies of all sizes. The Guardian Platform provides advanced information management tools, including Artificial Intelligence used for social media screening, to help agencies conduct a comprehensive assessment of public sector applicants efficiently, accurately, and cost effectively, representing a quantum leap forward in conducting background investigations.

“We are thrilled to offer complimentary access to our exclusive technology to law enforcement across the United States,” said Ryan Layne, CEO of Guardian. “Providing these features at no cost is part of fulfilling our core mission to help protect the integrity of the law enforcement profession at large.”

The applicant and investigator access the new Triage Center through an online portal where the applicant completes and submits their PHQ (one of the most comprehensive in the country) and all related documents. Once the PHQ is submitted, the Guardian system automatically generates a data-driven Concerns Report, allowing investigators to quickly determine which applicants meet their agency standards. Use of the tools contained in the Triage Center greatly reduces the chance of human error, and expedites the pre-investigation review process, allowing investigators to move quickly to full background investigations on qualified applicants using the Investigation Center of the Guardian Platform.  

In addition, all PHQ’s submitted through the Triage Center are stored in Guardian’s National Applicant Information Center (NAIC) and can therefore be checked by other agencies in the Guardian Alliance Network who may investigate the same applicant(s) in the future.  Among other things, that means a candidate rejected by one Guardian agency is not able to change their PHQ answers in secret in order to get hired by another.  

Guardian, a member of the FBI National Academy Associates, Inc. (FBINAA) Strategic Alliance Program, relies on input from its Advisory Board, all of whom are FBINAA members. Chief Joey Reynolds (Ret.), 2017 President of the FBINAA, stated, “Guardian’s unique knowledge of technology and law enforcement practices has given way to a revolutionary platform that provides investigators with 21st century tools that enhance the quality and thoroughness of their investigations and dramatically streamlines the background investigation process.”

Use of the Guardian Platform for end to end management of applicant evaluation and investigation activities moves law enforcement agencies into the modern era and away from paper-driven file management, providing several layers of significant benefits. The Triage Center is just one more Guardian tool that agencies can use to continue to strengthen the public’s trust in public safety organizations.

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The FBI National Academy Associates, Inc. (FBINAA) is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to providing the highest degree of law enforcement expertise, leadership training, and information to law enforcement executives around the world. The Association’s Mission is “Impacting communities by providing and promoting law enforcement leadership through training and networking.” Association members are graduates of the prestigious FBI National Academy Program. The FBINAA has over 16,500 members representing all 50 US states and 174 Countries world-wide. The FBINAA is the strongest law enforcement leadership network in the world. Located in Quantico, VA, the FBINAA is a non-political organization and is not affiliated with any special interest group.

For more information about Guardian, visit www.guardianalliancetechnologies.com

Silicon Valley, CA (February 20, 2020) – Today, Guardian Alliance Technologies broadened their efforts to improve the quality of public safety background investigations by allowing private background investigation firms (PI) access to the Guardian Platform.

The Guardian Platform, a Software as a Service in use by public safety organizations across the country, was built with input from professional background investigators and is designed to streamline and improve the pre-employment background investigation process for public safety agencies of all sizes. The Guardian Platform provides advanced information management tools, including Artificial Intelligence used for social media screening, to help agencies conduct a comprehensive assessment of public sector applicants efficiently, accurately, and cost-effectively, representing a quantum leap forward in conducting background investigations.

“Making Guardian available to PI firms is another example of how Guardian can help to protect the integrity of the law enforcement profession,” said Ryan Layne, CEO of Guardian. “Not only does the use of Guardian streamline the investigation process, saving precious time for the investigators, resulting in completion of investigations more promptly, it’s use has been proven to increase overall thoroughness and accuracy of investigations, further ensuring the overall quality of new personnel. In addition, use of Guardian provides investigators with the ability to eliminate a dangerous blind spot through use of our integrated social media screening features, which can significantly reduce the exposure to liability for their clients.” 

Fred Freeman, president of The Freeman Investigative Group based in Seal Beach, CA, states “Since my firm started utilizing the Guardian platform, it has completely modernized the investigative product for our clients and improved the quality of the investigations we’re conducting. Applicants have taken to the platform very easily, and we have identified issues that we would not have located without use of Guardian, which shielded our client from liability that they most certainly would have been exposed to without the use of this platform. Guardian staff made the transition exceptionally smooth, our clients are happy, and the minimal cost of the system has been easily absorbed by saving investigative time in review and report completion.”  

With this move by Guardian, any firm conducting public safety backgrounds will be able to direct applicants to Guardian’s Triage Center at no cost. In the Triage Center, applicants fill out their background information in Guardian’s proprietary Personal History Questionnaire (PHQ), one of the most comprehensive PHQ’s in the country. The Guardian Platform then generates a data-driven “Concerns Report” from information entered into the PHQ allowing investigators to quickly sort out which applicants qualify for a full background investigation and which ones don’t – without spending a dime.  

In addition, all PHQ’s submitted through the Triage Center are stored in Guardian’s National Applicant Information Center and can, therefore, be checked by other members of the Guardian Alliance Network investigating the same applicant(s) in the future. Among other things, that means a candidate rejected by one Guardian agency is not able to change their PHQ answers in secret in order to get hired by another.  

About Guardian’s Social Media and Online Screening Features

Guardian screens the entire publicly available web. Whether it is social media, web results, or paid subscription databases, Guardian can help identify problematic behavior among potential hires and current employees by analyzing publicly available online information. Our technology helps businesses identify thousands of job-relevant behaviors, such as racism or harassment, without exposing hiring managers to unnecessary risk or manual work, identify problemati behavior before it becomes an issue.  

For more information about Guardian Alliance Technologies, Inc., visit www.guardianalliancetechnologies.com