55,000+ attendees
Taylor Swift — 1989 World Tour
Multi-gate ingress, high-energy fan management
Venue Security Lead
★ John Leas · The Special Event Guy
The Trusted Authority Behind Safe, Secure, and Successful Events
National Authority · Since 1984
40+ years leading public safety, stadium security, event risk management, and crisis preparedness for some of the nation's most recognized events.
40+ Years Experience
5,000+ Professionals Trained
National Speaker
Expert Witness
Former Director of Security, San Diego Padres
Trusted across the nation's most-watched events
San Diego Padres◆Major League Baseball◆NFL Pro Bowl◆Davis Cup◆Rolling Stones Tour◆Taylor Swift — 1989 Tour◆San Diego Police Dept.◆World Series Operations◆San Diego Padres◆Major League Baseball◆NFL Pro Bowl◆Davis Cup◆Rolling Stones Tour◆Taylor Swift — 1989 Tour◆San Diego Police Dept.◆World Series Operations◆
John Leas
The Special Event Guy
The Special Event Guy
The person you call before an event becomes a problem.
For more than four decades, John Leas has stood at the intersection of public safety and large-scale events — from sold-out concerts and World Series games to international championships and political gatherings. Quiet operations are not luck. They are the product of disciplined planning, hard-won experience, and a clear-eyed view of what can go wrong.
A 31-year veteran of the San Diego Police Department and former Director of Security for the San Diego Padres, John brings a rare combination of law enforcement command experience, sports venue operations, and instructor-level training to every engagement.
Organizations trust John because he doesn't sell fear — he engineers confidence. Risk is assessed honestly, plans are written to be executed, and people are prepared to lead under pressure.
Career Highlights
A career built across the field, the venue, and the command post.
From patrol leadership to MLB security operations, John's career spans every layer of event safety — strategic, operational, and instructional.
31+
Years, San Diego Police Department
Director
of Security, San Diego Padres
5,000+
Professionals Trained Nationwide
National
Seminar Presenter
Expert
Witness & Litigation Consultant
MLB
Security Operations Leader
Iconic Events
Behind the scenes of moments the country watched.
A selection of high-profile events where John has led security planning, operations, or advisory work.
42,000+ attendees
MLB All-Star Game
Federal coordination, dignitary protection
Director of Security
60,000+ attendees
Rolling Stones Concert
Stadium conversion, perimeter operations
Event Safety Director
45,000+ attendees
MLB World Series
National media footprint, threat assessment
Security Operations Lead
62,000+ attendees
NFL Pro Bowl
Multi-agency unified command
Public Safety Advisor
11,000+ attendees
Davis Cup Championship
International protocol & VIP security
Security Planning
Endorsements
Trusted by leaders in public safety and event operations.
"John is the rare professional who can sit in a command post, a boardroom, and a classroom — and bring the same calm authority to all three. There are few people I'd rather have in the room when the stakes are high."
Bill Booth
Public Safety Executive
Operational Readiness
The difference between a plan and a prepared organization.
John builds the muscle memory teams need before an incident happens — command structure, communications, crowd flow, contingency drills, and the rehearsed handoffs that turn paper plans into real response.
Explore the frameworkFinal Word
When Safety Matters, Experience Matters.
Trusted by public safety leaders, event organizers, sports venues, and organizations nationwide.
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