Meet the b4s Team

Chief of Police (Ret.), Director of Public Safety/Assistant City Manager (Frm.)  

Frank G. Fernandez is currently the President of Blueprints 4 Safety (B4S) Strategies Group LLC, a consulting group specializing in expert witness testimony, vulnerability assessments, and executive leadership coaching focusing on preparing our future law enforcement sergeants and lieutenants as well as private sector executives achieve excellence and their career aspirations. 

Aside from his current engagement in the private sector, Fernandez possesses extensive executive level government and law enforcement experience in the Miami metropolitan area, as well as adjunct faculty experience in the Miami-Dade County academic arena. 

During his 34 years of service in the law enforcement field, Fernandez’s experience includes top leadership positions such as Deputy Chief of Police and Chief of Operations for the Miami Police Department (MPD) as well as key positions in the areas of Patrol, Narcotics, Crime Suppression, Tactical and Investigations Unit, Community Affairs Section, and the Neighborhood Enhancement Team (NET), as well as a Police Instructor and Firearms Instructor. He also held Team Leader and Command positions with the Miami Police SWAT (Special Weapons and Tactics) Team and had the opportunity to travel with former U.S. Southern Commander Army General Bantz J. Craddock and five U.S. Senators to Guantanamo Bay Naval Base in Cuba to assess facility conditions at this detention center. Fernandez has worked as an Expert Police Consultant for the United States Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division for over 12 years. He is a member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) Firearms Committee and served as committee chair for the years 2017-2019. He is also a member of the National Tactical Officer’s Association and the Police Executive Research Forum. Most recently, he was requested by the United States Department of Justice (DOJ), COPS Office and the U.S. Attorney's Office to serve as police leadership and mass casualty expert in the investigation critical incident review of the mass casualty school shooting at Robb Elementary in Uvalde, Texas (https://cops.usdoj.gov/uvalde ). 

Post retirement from MPD in 2010, Fernandez served as Police Chief and Assistant City Manager for Public Safety for the City of Hollywood, Florida. He managed more than 60 percent of the workforce in the City as well as the overall city budget. Subsequently, he was recruited by the City of Coral Gables, Florida to be the Assistant City Manager / Director of Public Safety with operational authority over Police, Fire and Emergency Management in addition to Information Technology, Labor Relations and Risk Management, and Human Resources Departments. He additionally served as the lead contract negotiator for all City collective bargaining agreements. Fernandez also managed 60 percent of the City’s workforce and expenditures including 192 sworn officers and 134 certified firefighters. Fernandez has shown a strong commitment to cultivating good community relations and external partnerships by establishing and maintaining both fair and effective government services, policing methods, respecting diverse community viewpoints and building trust with neighborhood groups. 

Fernandez holds a Bachelor’s Degree from Barry University and a Master’s Degree from Nova Southeastern University. He has served as an adjunct professor at both Miami-Dade College School of Business and at Florida International University Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice. In 2018, Fernandez was the Chairman for the American Heart Association and has recently been appointed as a Board Member for the Greater Miami/Fort Lauderdale Board of Directors. He has been awarded the National Latino Peace Officers Association’s Chief’s Leadership Award, and the nationally recognized Police Executive Research Forum’s Gary P. Hayes Leadership Award, among others. Other academic accomplishments include: completion of the Police Executive Research Forum’s (PERF) Senior Management Institute for Police; earning his Lean Six Sigma Green Belt certification from Florida International University’s College of Engineering and Computing; and graduating from FBI’s prestigious National Executive Institute (NEI). Fernandez is fully bilingual, able to effortlessly and effectively conduct meetings in English or Spanish. He is married and is the father of three daughters and one son. Fernandez has been actively involved in the community as a Board Member of the American Heart Association and with youth baseball as a coach and Vice President for a local baseball league. 

James B. Golden, Jr. has worked in law enforcement for more than 40 years, and was appointed Trenton, New Jersey’s first civilian Police Director in 2000. He began his career with the Philadelphia, PA Police Department where he held the ranks of police officer, corporal, sergeant, lieutenant, and captain, and served as the department’s Executive Officer from 1992 until his retirement in 1996. In Trenton, he set a new strategic direction for community-based policing, working in a true partnership with citizens to reduce the fear and incidence of crime. Collaborating with the community and rank and file officers, he re-engineered the department in a way that enabled police officers and citizens to identify and solve problems at the neighborhood level. This strategy led to a reduction in serious crime in several troubled neighborhoods in the city. Prior to Trenton, he served as the first African American chief of police for the City of Saginaw, Michigan.

In July 2022, US Department of Justice (COPS Office) appointed Mr. Golden to serve on the Critical Incident Review (CIR) team of subject matter experts to conduct a review of the May 24, 2022 mass shooting attack at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, TX. The goal of the review is to provide an independent account of law enforcement actions and responses; identify lessons learned and best practices to help first responders prepare for and respond to active shooter events; and provide a roadmap for community safety and engagement before, during, and after such incidents. The observations, lessons learned, and recommendations contained in the report are based on national standards and best and emerging practices in the field of policing, current research, community expectations, and innovative solutions tailored to the critical incident review.

As a training consultant for Strategies for Youth, Inc. (SFY), a Cambridge, MA nonprofit organization devoted to improving police/youth interactions and advancing the cause of training public safety officers in the science of child and youth development and mental health, Mr. Golden has served as a presenter for SFY’s ‘Policing the Teen Brain’ training program in cities and school districts, including Omaha, NE, Spokane, WA, Santa Ana, CA, San Francisco, CA, Contra Costa County, CA, Boston, MA, Baltimore, MD, Washington, DC, Vancouver, WA, Columbus, OH, Macon, GA, Salt Lake City and Ogden, UT, and the Maine School Safety Council. Additionally, he has served as an expert witness in civil actions related to police patrol operations and school safety in Missouri, Michigan, New Mexico, New York, and Georgia.

In 2013-14, Mr. Golden led the Trenton Forward Election Committee as a candidate for Mayor in Trenton’s municipal election, narrowly missing the run-off. His extensive background in municipal government, and proven record of achievement in raising the level of public safety in several jurisdictions, including Trenton, were key pillars of his campaign platform.

In 2005, Mr. Golden was appointed to the School District of Philadelphia as Chief Safety Executive, leading a staff of more than seven hundred employees responsible for creating and sustaining a safe learning environment for 200,000 students and staff. He retired from the School District in 2010.

In 2002, Mr. Golden was appointed by the U.S. Secretary of Transportation to serve as the first Federal Security Director for the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) at Philadelphia International Airport. In the roll-out of this brand-new federal security agency, he hired and led a staff of more than eight hundred employees and was responsible for a full range of federal aviation security, including passenger and baggage screening, regulatory compliance, and law enforcement.

Mr. Golden holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Management from Philadelphia University and has completed graduate courses in management at the University of Virginia at Quantico. He is a graduate of the FBI National Academy, the Senior Management Institute for Police at the Police Executive Research Forum, and the Temple University Public Service Management Institute.

Mr. Golden is a life member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), and a Past President of the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE). He served as vice-chairman of the board of trustees for Crime Stoppers of Greater Trenton, vice-chairman of the African American Chamber of Commerce of New Jersey, and is a former member of Princeton Community Church, where he served on the Leadership Team. He is a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., and the Delaware Social Justice Remembrance Coalition. Mr. Golden has appeared on numerous radio and television programs, and has presented at several area colleges, including Princeton and Rutgers-Newark Universities, sharing his career experiences and views on organizational leadership, school safety, and 21st century policing in America. 

Mr. Golden and his wife, Victoria, are natives of Philadelphia, PA, and have recently relocated to central Delaware. They have three daughters, two sons-in-law, and six grandchildren.

Public Safety Consultant; Former Director of Public Safety for Newark Housing Authority

Jeffrey Gorley, an experienced and community-oriented Public Safety leader and who has earned a reputation as a vocal advocate for Public Safety and Police Reform. Gorley is the former Public Safety Manager with Omaha Housing Authority (OHA) where he oversaw the Public Safety Operations for all OHA Public Housing Communities and Facilities. 

Before Omaha, he overseen the Public Safety Operations at the Housing Authority of the City of Newark and served as interim Director of Public Safety at 1199 Housing Corporation in New York City with oversight of a staff of seventy Public Safety Officers. In Newark, he created a Special Police Unit, Newark Special Police, specifically for Newark Housing Authority communities. The unit started with twenty Special Police Officers. These officers have the power to enforce local laws with arrest authority within Newark Housing Communities while engaging in community policing strategies. 

He also created the first-ever Intelligence Unit, comprised of Retired Newark Police Officers. Their focus is the eradication of narcotic activity in Newark Housing Authority communities. The work this unit has done exceeded expectations. In addition, he launched a Community Empowerment Team (CET) which hosted more than fifty community service events his last year. The program has been recognized by the U.S. Department of Urban and Housing Development's Office of Inspector General. The Community Empowerment Team and is the unit’s family and social service section aims to address the needs of vulnerable members of the Newark Housing Community who are better served through a social services approach, including juveniles, homeless individuals, the elderly, and those experiencing mental health and substance use crisis. He brought in the unit’s first Community Relations Coordinator to connect public housing youth and their families with mental health services. 

Gorley has regularly encountered the issues and public safety challenges associated with public housing environments throughout all his years of Public Safety service. 

Before his role at Omaha and Newark, he served as the Director of Public Safety for many other housing authorities in the country such as the Waynesboro Virginia Housing Authority, Housing Authority of the Birmingham District in Alabama, and Passaic Housing Authority in New Jersey. Gorley also served as a Crime Reduction/Police Coordinator (Consultant) for the Miami-Dade County Public Housing Agency in Florida, where he implemented the Community Empowerment Team (CET) program. This included onsite police sub-stations and social service programs in many Miami-Dade Public Housing Communities. 

Gorley was hired for his current role based on of his overall experience. He has been credited for the reduction of crime in Passaic, New Jersey, Miami, Florida, and Waynesboro, Virginia public housing communities. During his time as Director of Public Safety in Opa Locka, Florida, the city saw a 98% drop in crime under his tenure, particularly in one of the city's most dangerous neighborhoods known as the "Triangle." 

Chief (Ret.) / Biometric Technology Consultant for Law Enforcement  

Bill Casey is an accomplished Law Enforcement Executive. Currently, Bill is a consultant who specializes in biometric technology for law enforcement. Recently he has held positions as a Vice President in charge of Strategic Opportunities for ANDE, a rapid DNA company, and Director of Physical and IT Security for the Harvard University Police Department. Most notably, he worked at the FBI’s Criminal Justice Information Services Division (CJIS), where he served as the Unit Chief for the Biometrics Center of Excellence. The BCOE had a mission to further the use of biometrics in government and public safety. While with the FBI, he also served on a detail assignment as the Chief of Staff and Senior Law Enforcement Advisor to the First General Manager of FirstNet. FirstNet was created by the Federal Government to provide a Broadband Network for First Responders, which was a recommendation of the 9-11 Commission.

Bill began his law enforcement career as an officer for the Boston Police Department (BPD) in 1983; he subsequently rose through the ranks of the Boston Police and retired as a Deputy Superintendent. He was a member of the Command Staff for approximately twenty years, including the time frame of September 11, 2001. During most of his time frame on the Command Staff, he was the Commanding Officer of the Information Technology Division (ITD), which included the city of Boston’s 9-1-1 Center. As head of ITD, he was responsible for the procurement, maintenance and operation of the Department’s IT and Telecommunications Units. During his tenure, the City gained international renown as an innovator in utilizing IT in law enforcement. The BPD spearheaded initiatives to introduce mobile computing to the fleet; deploying one of the first integrated Identification and Imaging applications as well as a prototype ballistics imaging system, which became the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN). 

While at the BPD, Casey also served as a member of various technical committees for the Major Cities Chiefs Association (MCC) and the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP). He was also involved and served as the Chair of the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) Advisory Policy Board. He also Chaired the NIBIN Executive Board when it was jointly managed by the FBI and ATF. In these roles, Casey was actively engaged in public safety efforts in Washington, such as to obtain spectrum for a nationwide public safety broadband network, to enhance the use of technology and biometrics in law enforcement, along with other public safety projects and initiatives. 

Prior to joining the Boston Police Department, Bill was an aviation electronics technician with the U.S. Navy. He received a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Computer Information Systems from Suffolk University and a Juris Doctorate (JD) from New England School of Law. He presently serves on the Board of Trustees and Corporation for his Law School.

Brian is one of the nation’s preeminent crisis managers.  He is the founder of The News Directors, Inc., a strategic communications firm based in Miami, Florida, and works with Blueprints 4 Safety offering advice and counsel in critical situations. 

A former investigative reporter for well known international news agencies including CNN, CBS, and Fox News affiliates in South Florida, Brian approaches each matter with the tenacity, compassion, and drive that helped him become a well-respected journalist during his nearly 30 year career in journalism. 

Today, Brian’s clients include private individuals, government agencies, and corporations.  He has offered strategic communications advice during mass casualty events, natural disasters, and catastrophic accidents.  Brian has also advised individual clients facing criminal charges, government entities navigating critical incidents, and corporate clients working to rehabilitate their reputations in the wake of public scandals.     

Brian holds certifications in Leadership in Crisis and Leadership and Character in Uncertain Times from Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government and Advanced PIO Certification from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (“FEMA”).  He has also received specialized training certificates in communications involving aviation disasters and acts of terrorism from both the National Transportation and Safety Board (“NTSB”) and the Florida Attorney General’s Office.

Andrew Boan is a Police Officer with over forty years combined experience and is currently with the State of Florida Office of the Attorney General as a Law Enforcement Lieutenant. Prior to this, he spent the last ten years of his time with the City of Miami Police Department as a Sergeant of Police with experience in planning, developing, and implementing programs with the Internal Affairs Section. During the first thirty years at the City of Miami Police Department, he was assigned to Field Patrol as a Police Officer, Detective in the Burglary and Larceny Unit, Detective in the Homicide Unit, Police Officer in the Mounted Patrol Unit, Detective in the Internal Affairs Section, Sergeant in the Field Patrol Division, Sergeant in the Internal Affairs Section, and Lieutenant of the Internal Investigations Unit of the Internal Affairs Section.  

Andrew attained a Master of Science degree in Business Administration/International Real Estate and a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice from Florida International University and an Associate of Arts in Criminal Justice degree from Miami-Dade College. He is also a member of various organizations such as the National Realtors Association, The Palms at Kendall HOA Board of Directors (President), Fraternal Order of Police Miami Lodge 20, Miami Police Veterans Association, Florida Police Benevolent Association, National Internal Affairs Investigators Association, and The City of Miami Police Department Police Reserve Program. Lastly, he retains multiple certifications including FDLE Certified Police Instructor, Firearms, High Liability and First Aid Trauma Instructor, as well as being a FDLE certified instructor in the following areas from 1986-2011: Mounted Police Instructor, Ethics and Professionalism Instructor, Line Supervision Instructor, and Internal Affairs Instructor. 

Andrew has vast experience in project development, as exemplified in his achievements over forty years of experience in the field. Some of his achievements are as follows: 

- Lead Investigator and Lead Supervisor of Police Involved Shootings, In-Custody Death and Criminal Prosecuted Internal Affairs Cases.

- Investigated complex criminal cases involving other City of Miami Departments as supervisor of the Public Corruption Unit.

- Created new departmental procedures manual (I.A. Section SOP and Departmental Orders).

- Assessed organizational training needs for the Internal Affairs Section.

-  Completed monthly reconciliation financial report for the I.A. Impress Account to submit to the City of Miami.

- Law Enforcement Lieutenant for the Attorney General ‘s Office, investigated Medicaid fraud criminal cases involving “kickbacks” and financial records. Conducted covert, undercover investigations to uncover ongoing crimes and crimes in progress.

Leadership Coach Ray A. Blanco is an accomplished professional athlete and a member of the elite B4S 1% club which are those that have achieved such high athletic and leadership achievement that are in the 1% of all athletes/leaders nationwide. Ray played professional baseball for the Houston Astros. He is also is a seasoned law enforcement professional with a diverse and accomplished career spanning 29 years with the City of Miami Police Department. He is currently assigned as the commander of the Violent Crimes Unit. His journey within the force includes pivotal roles such as Special Investigation Section Narcotics Detective and Supervisor, Street Narcotics Unit, Homicide Unit Supervisor, and Internal Affairs. Notably, he served as a Task Force Officer with the FBI Group C-17, focusing on combating violent gang crimes, and supervised the Criminal Gangs Detail before assuming the position of Patrol Shift Commander.

Ray’s educational background comprises graduation from Miami Jackson Senior High School, furthering his studies at Nichols State University and Florida Atlantic. Apart from his law enforcement career, he has a rich sports background having played Division 1 and professional baseball. His passion for the sport extends to coaching high school baseball, imparting his expertise to aspiring athletes.

Beyond law enforcement and sports, Ray finds solace and enjoyment in boating, fishing, and golf. His commitment to public service, combined with his multifaceted interests, defines his dedication to both his profession and personal pursuits.
“Stay committed to your decisions, but stay flexible in your approach” Tony Robbins 

As a leadership coach, Ray is well positioned to assist clients through the journey of developing a solid foundation and refined skills to not only achieve excellent test results but; moreover a leadership platform to achieve superior and sustainable academic and career results.  

Leadership Coach David Bernat is an accomplished professional athlete and a member of the elite B4S 1% club which are those that have achieved such high athletic and leadership achievement that are in the 1% of all athletes/leaders nationwide. David played professional  baseball for the Seattle Mariners. He is also is a seasoned law enforcement professional as an accomplished individual with a diverse journey. He is currently assigned as the detective sergeant for the Violent Crimes Unit. He graduated from Barry University in 2008 with a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education, he initially  showcased his athletic prowess when drafted in the 26th round of the 2002 MLB draft, by the Seattle  Mariners. This led to an invitation to the Mariners’ Instructional League in the same year.  Transitioning to collegiate baseball in 2004, David’s dedication and skill earned him recognition as an All  Sunshine State Conference Player of the year. In 2007, he took on a new chapter, signing as a free agent  with the Kansas City Royals and ascending to their Double-A (AA) team.  Parallel to his sports endeavours, David has been a steadfast public servant, joining the City of Miami  Police Department in 2008. His roles have been diverse, ranging from Detective in the Special  Investigation Section (Criminal Gang Intelligence) to a supervisor in Internal Affairs Anti-Corruption Unit.  He further contributed as a Task Force Supervisor for the United States Marshals – Florida Caribbean  Fugitive Task Force, and Sergeant in the Overtown neighborhood within the Central  District, showcasing his commitment to ensuring community safety. David’s journey reflects a  remarkable blend of athleticism, education, and dedicated service to the Miami community. 

As a leadership coach, David is well positioned to assist clients through the journey of developing a solid foundation and refined skills to not only achieve excellent test results but; moreover a leadership platform to achieve superior and sustainable academic and career results.  

LTC Ray Guidetti (ret.) / Leadership Coach

Leadership Coach Ray Guidetti is the former New Jersey State Police Deputy Superintendent over the Investigations branch. Ray is an experienced executive with a record of leading complex organizations and creating positive organizational change through exemplary leadership methods. His leadership experiences spans the state, local, and Federal government levels along with the private sector sales and software industry. 

Ray Guidetti earned a Master of Arts degree in security studies (Homeland Defense and Security) from the Naval Postgraduate School in 2006, a Master of Arts degree in education from Seton Hall University in 1998, and a Bachelor of Science degree from Montclair State University in 1989.