Larry Talley before his professional hiatus in 2000 was one of the nations most widely known and sought-after experts in the field of premises security. He has testified in depositions and trials and has been retained as an expert witness in over 1200 civil lawsuits across the United States, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and South America. Larry offered expert opinions to both defense and plaintiff attorneys.

These crimes or injuries occurred at hotels/motels, apartment complexes, condominiums, shopping centers, strip shopping malls, bars/lounges, convenience stores, fast food restaurants, hospitals, parking lots, casinos, car rental companies, security company operations, alarm & central station monitoring stations, and sports venues.

Many of the cases Larry testified in resulted in multi-million-dollar jury verdicts or settlements.

Two cases he testified in resulted in television movies on ABC and CBS to include the “Tailhook Case”, that occurred at the Las Vegas Hilton. In the aftermath of this case numerous disciplinary actions were taken against junior officers and the resignations of several admirals and the resignation of the Secretary of the Navy.

Larry was also retained in other high-profile cases, including the “Mark Barton Atlanta Office Massacre”, the “Yosemite Murder Cases” the “Bronx Apartment Murder Cases” and the “Police Officer Mass Murder Case at a Hotel in California” & “The Atlanta 1996 Olympic Park Bombing Cases”.

Larry also offers his services to corporations and business owners wanting a review of their existing entities security and safety programs or their desire in implementing a security and safety program.

Shortly after Larry’s professional hiatus in 2000 Larry experienced numerous medical problems which required several surgeries, medical treatment by his doctors, medical specialists, and the Veterans Administration. After several years Larry’s medical problems were diagnosed as a result of being exposed to Agent Orange during his two tours severing in Vietnam, during 1965-1966 and 1968-1969.

After proper treatment and the support of family Larry is ready to resume his consulting practice.

Continued Research

Larry has worked in military, civilian enforcement, the private security sector, conducted research and published papers and books on criminal behavior and premises liability for over fifty years.

Larry’s continued research on crime prevention measures includes but not limited to premises security measures, foreseeability of criminal activities, hot-spots of crimes, crime prevention through environmental design, “broken windows theory”, and reasonable security measures premises owners should under take for deterring and the prevention of crimes committed on their premises.

Larry continues to conduct research by criminologist, reading professional journals and reviewing police departments efforts around the country that have implemented programs to identify hot-spots of crimes and efforts taken which have proven to reduce and prevent criminal acts.

Larry has also stayed abreast of the latest security technology and security measures that exist today.

During Larry’s absence from his consulting practice he has stayed in contact with several personal injury attorneys several of his peers involved in security consulting and expert testimony. This endeavor has assisted him to stay informed of any substantial changes in the field of premises security liability laws and crime prevention measures.

Larry over the past several years has been contacted by numerous personal injury attorneys  involved in premises liability cases seeking advice and knowledge of experts hired by the opposing attorneys. They have also requested his assistance in preparing questions for the opposing expert.

Military & Civilian Law Enforcement Experience

Larry’s law enforcement career begin in the United States Army in 1965. After basic training at Fort Jackson, SC, Larry trained as a Military Police Officer.

During his Military Police career Larry served in Korea and two volunteer tours of duty in Vietnam during 1965-1966 and 1968-1969.

Between his two tours in Vietnam and afterwards all his stateside duties were at Fort Benning, GA working out of the Provost Marshal’s Office. The exceptions were several classified undercover assignments and attending the Military Police Criminal Investigator school and Drug Investigator course at Fort Gordon, GA.

Larry’s duties included working as a uniform Military Police Officer, Desk Sergeant, Patrol Supervisor, Criminal Investigator and Chief Investigator of the MPI office where he supervised thirty Criminal Investigators.

Larry at the direction of the Provost Marshal often conducted internal affairs investigations and was hand-picked by the Provost Marshal to form and supervise the first undercover narcotics unit of its kind in the Army.

As the Chief Investigator of the Narcotics Unit Larry hand-picked a team of investigators. Larry and his team worked closely with the FBI agents assigned to Fort Benning, the Columbus Police Narcotics Unit, and the Phoenix City Police Narcotics Unit.

The unit made numerous arrests for drug trafficking, sale and possession of illegal drugs by both civilians and military personnel on the Fort Benning reservation. The intelligence gathered by our unit not only made a major impact on the military base but assisted the Columbus and Phoenix Police Narcotics units in making major drug related arrest involving military and civilian personnel.

In Vietnam during Larry’s second tour while working as a Criminal Investigator with the 18th Military Police Brigade, Company C (CID), Larry was involved in the investigations of murders, fraggings of officers and non-commission officers, rapes, robberies, assaults, racial assaults, drug sales, use of drugs, smuggling drugs back to the United States. As well as thefts of truckloads of military equipment, liquor, and cigarettes, sale of American dollars by deserters involved in black-market activities.

During Larry’s military career he was assigned to numerous VIP details. In 1967 at Fort Benning Larry was the lead Military Police Investigator assigned to the Security Detail for John Wayne and other key Cast Members while filming the movie “The Green Berets”, at Fort Benning and President Lyndon Johnson during his 1968 visit to Fort Benning.

Larry was assigned to the security detail for President Richard Nixon and First Lady Pat Nixon during their visit to Vietnam in 1969 and Country Music Stars Johnny and June Carter Cash during their visit to Vietnam to preform for military and civilian personnel.

Larry during 1971 was assigned to the security detail of Lt. William Calley, Jr. during his trial of leading the killing of an estimated 300-400 men, women and children in the Vietnam Village of My Lai in March of 1968. In 1971 Calley was convicted during a General Court Martial at Fort Benning, GA of killing 22 individuals.

While working undercover narcotics at Fort Benning, GA in 1972 Larry uncovered a plot by two military personal to ambush, rob and kill a Payroll Officer and his driver as the payroll jeep approached a planned ambush site. Larry and several other investigators, approached the would-be subjects, disarmed and arrested them. Their actions and confessions resulted in 20 years imprisonment at the military maximum prison at Fort Leavenworth, KS.

Larry for his actions and leadership received a Letter of Commendation from the Commanding General and Provost Marshal of Fort Benning.

During his military career attended numerous military, civilian law enforcement, FBI and DEA training courses.

Larry during his military law enforcement career, civilian law enforcement career and ligation/expert witness career has given sworn testimony at Article 32 hearings, court martials,  grand juries, civilian criminal trials, affidavits, depositions and trials in criminal and civil litigation matters. These would number in the thousands.

Larry during his 9 years in the military was awarded the Bronze Star Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Vietnam Service Medal with two oak clusters, Vietnam Service Medal with two oak clusters, Vietnam Campaign Medal with two oak clusters, Army Good Conduct Medal, and Korean Defense Medal.

After leaving the military in 1973 Larry was employed as a Criminal Investigator and Undercover Narcotics Agent for the District Attorney’s Office in Chester County, PA. Larry assignment was to infiltrate two outlaw motorcycle gangs responsible for the sale of illegal drugs and other criminal activities. These activities occurred in Chester County and other counties in the Metropolitan Area of Philadelphia. Several prior attempts to infiltrate these gangs, known as the Warlocks and Pagans, had proved unsuccessful prior to Larry’s efforts.

Upon completion of Larry’s undercover assignment over 100 gang members, including the gang leaders, were arrested for the illegal sales of heroin, cocaine, crystal meth, LSD, and marijuana. In addition, other criminal charges were brought against gang members for possession of stolen property and possession and sale of illegal weapons. One of the motorcycle gangs owned a successful strip club were numerous crimes were committed and by Larry’s testimony the club and seized and closed by the government.

Larry was credited with making the largest number of arrest for narcotics trafficking and in the history of the county.

Civilian Work Experience

In 1974-1975 Larry served as a Regional Director of Security, for Munford, Inc. the nation’s second largest convenience store chain. He was responsible for conducting crime prevention surveys, investigations of employee theft, conducting polygraph examinations, armed robbery prevention, maintain local law enforcement liaison, and studied crime trends in the area. Larry’s area of responsibility included St. Louis, Indianapolis and Louisville and the supervised two investigators.

Larry was hired in December of 1975 as the first Director of Security and later promoted to Vice President of Security and Risk Management of the nation’s fifth largest hotel/motel chain Days Inn of America. While under his leadership Days Inn was recognized by their peers in the lodging industry as being one of the leaders in the field of security and loss prevention.

Management from other major lodging chains including Holiday Inns, Marriott, Marriott Court Yards, Red Roof Inns and La Quinta, attended our training school for the course involving our security and safety management programs. This course also included employee security training programs that was taught to all field hotel/motel managers.

Days Inn required that all job descriptions from managers, maids, maintenance personal, cooks, ground keepers, and front desk clerks have included as that part of their duties included being part of the properties security program acting as the “eyes and ears” of the security team. This included immediately reporting any acts of suspicious activities to the property security personnel or manager. This program provided very effective in the prevention of criminal acts or in some cases actual arrest of would-be criminals or trespassers on the premises.

Days Inn developed an armed robbery prevention program for our hotel and motels that resulted in the prevention of armed robberies during the period of 1976 to 1986.

Days Inn under Larry’s leadership and his security staff developed security guest programs, security awareness posters posted on each guest room door imprinted in red letters, and security fences around units in high crime areas. Security inspections were done quarterly for our company owned properties. During these inspections we encouraged our managers to maintain liaison with local police departments and requested them to make more patrols of our properties.

Additional physical security measures undertaken included installing deadbolt locking devices, knob locks, latching lock devices, and peepholes on guest room doors. In the early 1980’s Days Inn was among the first national chains to require all newly constructed properties to install state-of-the-art electronic card key door locks.

Measures were also taken to improve lighting conditions in parking lots, trimming or removal of natural concealment areas such as overgrown shrubbery and trees. In addition installment of seven foot chain-link or wooden fencing with  placement of three strands of barbed-wire facing outward to prevent unlawful entry onto the premises and to deter criminal activities on properties located in high crime areas.

If a property was located in or near a high crime area the placement of in-house uniformed security officers and marked Days Inn security vehicle patrols were implemented. In some instances contract security personnel were used.

In addition to crime prevention surveys being conducted quarterly at Days Inn company owned properties the same type of surveys were conducted  for newly planned hotel/motel sites. These surveys included meeting with local law enforcement officials to gather crime statistics for a one-mile radius of the area and the number of police patrols normally conducted in the area of the planned site. In addition a study of the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reports for the community were also studied.

These crime prevention surveys included interviews with nearby business owners in the area concerning past criminal activities committed on their premises or their knowledge or criminal activity in immediate area. We inquired of them what if any security measures they may be taking to deter or prevent criminal activity. These surveys would also include police response times of crimes committed on their premises and the frequency of police patrols in the area.

The surveys were also designed to look at signs of possible gang activities, gang graffiti in the area, prostitution, low income housing projects and drug dealing activities in the area. All of these may be indicators of criminal activities in the area. All this data would assist us in determining what security measures may need to be taken or improvements at an existing premise or incorporated into the initial planning of a new hotel/motel.

All newly constructed hotels/motels would at a minimum included access control measures, electronic card key locks, highly lit parking areas, CCTV cameras, perimeter barriers erected and natural barriers used if deemed necessary.

Days Inn of America, Inc. was the first Hotel/Motel chain to post written “Safety and Security” guidelines in our national Days Inn Directory. These were mailed monthly to thousands of former and potential Days Inn guests, tour agencies and were made available at the front desk of both company owned and franchised properties when the guests checked in.

Larry and his security staff prior to the invention of personal computers worked with our in-house IT department to design and write a incident/crime tracking program. Managers at all company owned properties were required to report any criminal act occurring on the premises to a guest or employee to the home office within 2 to 4 hours of such an occurrence.

This not only assisted us in tracking crime on a daily based but would help us make decisions on what if any additional security measures may be needed at a given property. If the property had security personal this data assisted us to adjust the hours of coverage needed to deter criminal activity on the premises in the future.

If the incident or crime were of a serious nature a senior member of the security department would be dispatched immediately to the premises. A investigation would be conducted and assists offered to local law enforcement. This would allow the senior security staff member while on site to take immediate measures to improve the property’s security plan.

Under Larry’s leadership a program named “We Care” was developed to assist any guest who was a victim of a violent crime or a theft crime while staying at our properties. We provided them with free lodging, money if needed, medical care, and a on-call minister to offer spiritual support if needed. In addition the property manager would assist them with travel plans to their original destination or return home.

An important part of the “We Care” program would include a personal letter and phone call to the victimized guest by Larry expressing the company’s concern for what occurred and inquired if there was anything else we could do for them.

In comparing the number and nature of litigation filed against other lodging chains we conclude this program reduced possible litigation by showing our concern and the actions we undertook for a guest which had been victimized.

Larry and his security staff wrote and helped in the production of a “Armed Robbery Training” film for our employees and franchise owners along with an Employee Security Awareness and Theft reduction poster. The training film was required to be view by all management trainees, managers and front desk personnel at all our properties.

Days Inn was the first hotel/motel chain that went twice a year to graduating hotel/motel colleges across the county to interview job applicants for management positions that included a security interview process. This interview was designed by Larry and his Director of Security.

If the job applicant was offered employment they were required to undergo a pre-employment polygraph examination at our corporate headquarters before a final job offer was made. It was rare that an applicant, who had undergone the security interview, failed the polygraph test. This served to validate our security interview process in the field to be very effective and reduced the travel expenses of bringing job applicants to Atlanta who failed to pass the security interview process.

Larry along with his staff members wrote or contributed to manuals on Hotel Security Awareness, Safety Awareness, Innkeepers Law & Liability, Uniform Security Officers Manual, and Executive Corporate Officers Manual.

Larry was a member and later an associate consultant of the American Hotel & Motel Associations Security Committee. This committee met twice annually to discuss security issues facing the industry and litigation filed which alleged inadequate security measures not taken for guest safety. The committee consisted of the majority of all national lodging chains and proved to be an invaluable source of information in assisting the industry to improve their security and guest safety measures.

Larry also served on the Ad Hoc Committee of the American Hotel & Motel Association that wrote the first ever publication entitled “Security Informational Materials for The Smaller Hotel and Motel.”

Larry also served on the Editorial Advisory Board of the national publication of “Hotel/Motel Security and Safety Management”, the newsletter of Loss Prevention, Crime Prevention and Accident Prevention in hotels/motels.

The Day Holding Company, which was the parent company of Days Inn of America, also owned numerous apartment complexes and free-standing restaurants. Larry was often called upon to offer security advice and conduct investigations.

Larry was part owner of a “Theme Hotel” built by Days Inn located in Orlando, FL. The hotel “The Heritage Inn” was across from the Orlando Convention Center awarded to him and other officers of the company for their outstanding service to the company.

Larry also served on the Executive Committee of Days Inn of America from 1984-1986.

In 1987 to 1988 Larry was Executive Vice President of North American Security a full-service security company located in Atlanta, GA. Larry was involved in decisions involving the operation of the company, however, most of his time was spent consulting with clients concerning their security needs and being hired as an expert witness in premises liability cases.

In 1988 Larry started his own security company, Akins Security, offering uniformed security officers, security patrols, investigations and polygraph examinations. Larry’s clients included hotels/motels, apartments complexes, office buildings, parking lot security, fast food restaurants, carpet mills throughout North Georgia, the Budweiser Plant in Cartersville, Georgia, strip shopping malls, shopping centers and convenience stores.

In addition, Larry’s company provided business and home security alarm security systems, with security patrol response if contracted for along with a state-of-the-art central monitoring station overseeing alarms in over five states with over 10,000 monitored accounts.

Larry’s company grew to Georgia’s second largest security company in less than 2 years. During this same time Larry continued to be retained numerous times as a premises security expert. In 1990 Akins Security was sold to a national security company. During Larry’s time at Akins Security he served as the company’s President, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board.

Larry then focused his endeavors to security consulting and providing expert witness and litigation support to attorneys involved in premises security lawsuits.

In 1990 Larry changed the name of his security consulting business to Larry Talley & Associates offering premises security consulting and litigation support as an expert witness for both Defense and Plaintiff attorneys coast to coast.

Larry was qualified and testified in Federal and State Courts and rendered hundreds of expert opinions by affidavits, depositions and at trials.

Larry Talley & Associates was also retained by two national and regional apartment management companies to conduct security surveys, offer ongoing advice on security and management advice and conduct security seminars.

Lectures, Papers Written or Contributed, National Media Sources, Government Appointments, Testimony Before Government Bodies & Books Written

Larry has given lectures to hundreds of hotel/motels, apartment owners, managers and their employees concerned in the safety of their guests, tenants, and employees.

Larry has given lectures before professional groups including Defense and Plaintiff Attorneys on reasonable care, negligence, proximate cause, foreseeability and security measures premises owners should undertake.

Larry has given lectures and led seminars, before civic groups, high schools, convenience stores owners, fast food restaurants owners, apartment owners, managers and employees, on premises security measures they should undertake for their guests, tenants and their personal security if faced with crime occurring on their property or in the immediate area.

Larry has given lectures at numerous colleges on topics of hotel/motel security and other premises security topics, and a guest speaker at the National Crime Prevention Institute at The School of Criminal Justice, of the University of Louisville.

Larry was appointed by two Georgia Governors’ as a member of the State Polygraph Licensing Board and within six months voted as Chairman a post he held for nine years.

Larry as Chairman of the Georgia State Licensing Board authored legislation governing the use of polygraph examinations in law enforcement and the private sector the first in the nation that incorporated a “Bill of Rights” for persons taking a polygraph examination.

Larry was the only Chairman of a State Licensing Board, Polygraph Examiner and member of the American Polygraph Association, along with famed attorney F. Lee Bailey to be asked to testify before committees of The United States Senate and Congress led by Senators Orin Hatch and Ted Kennedy concerning the use of polygraphs nationally.

A year later a National Polygraph Law modeled after the Georgia Polygraph Law was passed by the United States Congress.

Larry was elected and served as Vice President of the American Polygraph Association in 1985 and for his service and contributions to the polygraph profession was Awarded the J. J. Heger Merit Award for “His recognition for his unselfish efforts and dedication to the advancement of the ideals and goals of the American Polygraph Association.”

In 1985, 1986 and 1987 was awarded Professional Service Awards for Outstanding Contributions to the Polygraph Association by the American Polygraph Association.

Larry has received letters of commendations from the former Georgia Secretary of State (Later United States Senator) Max Cleland and Georgia Governor Joe Frank Harris for his appointment to the State Board of Polygraph Examiners and exemplary leadership in upgrading the polygraph industry and strengthening the laws and rules of the Georgia Polygraph Act as Chairman and member of the Georgia State Polygraph Board.

Larry is a past member of the American Society of Industrial Security, International Association of Chiefs of Police, International Association of Credit Card Investigators, Metro Atlanta Crime Commission, American Hotel and Motel Association Security Committee and later an Associate Consultant for the Committee.

Larry has been featured in several national news publications including US News & World Report, The Wall Street Journal, Lodging & Hospitality Magazine, National Apartment Magazine and Conde Nast Magazine.

Larry has contributed to or wrote numerous articles, publications and professional journals. He wrote papers and gave lecturers for the Defense Research Institute, The American Trial Lawyers Association, and The Institute of Continuing Legal Education in Georgia.

In April of 1994 Larry authored the book “Are You Really Safe?” published by Longstreet Press dealing with actual case histories involving crimes committed against guest in Hotel and Motels, tenants of Apartment Complexes, and Shopping Center Parking Lots. The book also contains security and safety tips for individuals and what actions they should take as if a victim of a crime.

On the debut in book stores nationally Larry was a guest on “Good Morning America” interviewed by Charlie Gibson and due to overwhelming response by viewers asked to appear on “Good Morning America Sunday.”

Larry’s book “Are You Really Safe?’ has been used at numerous colleges as a text book and reference book in criminal justice and hotel/motel college classes.

Larry from 1985-2000 appeared and was a paid consultant to numerous national television programs dealing with issues of various crimes committed at hotels, motels, parking lots, shopping malls, outlet shopping malls, office buildings and apartment complexes. (See Media Appearances)

Larry is in the process of completing his second book “The Saigon Mafia”, a fiction book based on true events during his second tour in Vietnam while working as a Criminal Investigator with the 18th Military Police Brigade, Company C (CID).

This work of Larry’s concerns American service members numbering as high as 2000 or more deserting from their units as early as 1984. Most migrated to Saigon where they ran a criminal enterprise making millions of dollars stealing military supplies, including weapons and ammunition, clothing, medical supplies and PX goods that included beer liquor and cigarettes. These stolen items would be worth billions of dollars.

All these goods were highly profitable on the black market and many ended up in the hands of the VC or the NVA. Some of these deserters were still uncounted for after the evacuation of all military personal at the end of the Vietnam War.

Larry is also in the process of writing his third book on Apartment Security.

Larry’s first book “Are You Really Safe” was placed in the Georgia Governor’s Mansion Library by Governor Roy Barnes an honor bestowed on Georgia authors.

Larry graduated from Troy State University in Montgomery, on the Dean’s List, with a degree in Professional Studies, concentrating in Psychology.