In 1996, Mr. Cooper began working as a Police Legal Advisor (PLA) to the San Diego Police Department under then Chief of Police Gerald Sanders.  It was there he had the opportunity to work directly with front line police officers helping make San Diego one on the safest large cities in the nation.

In 2002, Mr. Cooper appeared before the California Supreme Court and successfully argued a case, now published, that protects the confidentiality of police officer personnel files.

In 2003, Mr. Cooper was asked by Chief of Police William Lansdowne to act as his legal counsel and policy advisor.  In this role he is depended on to advise on every aspect of the San Diego Police Department including homicide investigations, officer involved shootings, search warrant issues, gang and narcotic issues and border crime issues.

During his career Mr. Cooper has worked on special legal projects such as: Megan's Law, the San Diego Parenting Project, the Neighborhood Prosecutors Program and participated on the Use of Force Taskforce whose recommendations are currently used by law enforcement today.

Paul Cooper has dedicated his legal career to public service as a prosecutor, police legal advisor and as Counsel to the Chief of Police.

A fourth generation San Diegan, Mr. Cooper graduated from Patrick Henry High School. He received a Master's Degree in Public Administration from the University of Southern California before graduating with honors from the J. Reuben Clark Law School at BYU.  Mr. Cooper then completed a two-year clerkship at the United District Court for the District of Utah, developing one of the first integrated alternative dispute resolution programs in the federal court system.

In 1993 Mr. Cooper was hired by the San Diego City Attorney's Office as a Deputy City Attorney prosecutor in its criminal division.

Later, he was promoted to the City Attorney's newly formed Domestic Violence and Child Abuse Unit.  Mr. Cooper was eventually promoted to Head Deputy City Attorney in charge of the Domestic Violence Unit, a group that was, in 1993, recognized by the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges as the model domestic violence prosecution unit in the nation.

PAUL E. COOPER ESQ.

ASSISTANT TO THE CHIEF OF POLICE

THE THIN BLUE LINE