Professor Byron L. Warnken and Baltimore Police Department Training
Warnken, LLC and specifically Professor Byron L. Warnken were hired by the Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office to train law enforcement officers on Fourth Amendment issues, obtaining and executing arrest warrants and search warrants, and testifying in court.
Professor Warnken was first approached about this a few months ago, months before Freddie Gray entered the national spotlight. A contract was in place for Warnken’s services before the tragic events involving Gray.
Warnken gives instructional lectures annually to the Baltimore County Police Department and has done so for more than 20 years. He also trains Virginia law enforcement officers and the Baltimore County and Baltimore City Bar Associations.
This is a 12-hour in-service program for members of the Baltimore Police Department. Neither Professor Warnken nor Warnken, LLC is a part of the selection of the officers. The initial funding comes from a Department of Justice grant.
Warnken was part of State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby’s transition team. Mosby made it clear to Warnken from early on in her administration that law enforcement training was vital to her efforts.
Professor Byron L. Warnken has been a law professor at the University of Baltimore School of Law for the last 38 years. In 1992, Warnken, along with his wife Bonnie, started Warnken, LLC. He handled almost exclusively appellate litigation for the first five years. In 1998, Warnken, LLC began to represent the Maryland Troopers Association, the largest labor organization of the Maryland State Police. Warnken, LLC still represents them today.
In 1995, Maryland’s Daily Record wrote a story entitled Warnken: Making a Career Defending Cops and Robbers. In addition to representing police, Warnken did, and still does, represent individuals in criminal appeals and post convictions.
Today, Warnken, LLC handles law enforcement representation, criminal law, workers’ compensation, and personal injury litigation.