National Association of Professional Process Servers

Attn:  Gary A. Crowe, Administrator

P.O. Box 4547       

Portland, OR  97208

RE:  Letter of recommendation for Michael Gervais, CA PI license # 25687, Reg. Process Server #2080.

Dear Mr. Crowe

I am retired Detective/Sergeant Don Barfield, formally with the City of Los Angeles, Los Angeles Police Department.  I recently retired with 38 years of service on June 1, 2007.  My varied assignments include heading the Los Angeles High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area’s (LA-HIDTA), Post Seizure Analysis Program (PSA) for 15 years.  This is a joint drug intelligence task force administered by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and directed from the Office of the President of the United States.  I designed, implemented and oversaw the Post Seizure Analysis program for the LA-HIDTA.  In doing so, I selected, trained and supervised a cadre of had picked military, sworn and civilian intelligence analysts in pursuit of organized criminal enterprises.  This task force was designed to support any law enforcement entity in the greater Los Angeles area with related case support.  This task required a “Top Secret” Security Clearance with the FBI which I obtain and carried for over 15 years.

During the course of this assignment, Detective III Michael Gervais and I met.  Detective Gervais was in charge of Los Angeles Police Department, Organized Crime Squad and thus came to me for assistance in pursuit of a large international drug trafficking/organized crime group.  Michael and I forged a working relationship wherein I and my analytical team supported several of his cases for over 15 years.

I interacted with Detective Gervais over the course of these many years.  As such, I grew to know Detective Gervais as a unique individual.  He is a stellar man, highly intelligent, self motivated and confident in his law enforcement profession.  Michael possesses a multitude of qualities that place him in the top 3% of all officers I have interacted with in my 38 year career.  He never ceases to amaze me in his research capabilities.  He always goes the extra mile, even when information is limited or completely lacking.  He is dogged in pursuing information to corroborate the intelligence he is seeking and the suspects he is pursuing.  Michael possesses genuine “people skills” that allow him to interact easily with people from all walks of life.  His work ethics are unmatched and his loyalty unwaving.  Detective Gervais is the type of employee that everyone dreams of and yet few have had the opportunity to work with.  He is honest, trustworthy and highly intelligent.   On several of Mike’s cases, he worked in task forces with the federal law enforcement agencies to include the FBI.  Doing so, Michael was required to submitted to and pass a security clearance investigation .  He ultimately received a Top Secret Security Clearance from the FBI.

I am confident in recommending Michael Gervais to your agency/group as he will be an outstanding attribute to your organization.

DON BARFIELD

Detective/Sergeant (Ret)

Criminal Intelligence Consultant