Warren J. Sonne was born in Brooklyn, NY in 1949, and attended George W. Wingate High School, and the New York Institute of Technology.  

On his 21st birthday, Sonne was appointed to the NYPD as a police officer and assigned to the Special Events Squad, a tactical unit that was formed to assist with the celebration of the 25th Anniversary of the United Nations.  

Sonne left the uniformed service in 1972, and was assigned to the NYPD’s Narcotics Division where he worked both as an undercover and a field investigator.  For the next 18 years Sonne honed his investigative skills, leaving the Narcotics Division in 1976 for the Arson Explosion Division, the predecessor of the now famous Joint-Terrorist Task Force, conducting investigations of the FALN, Weather Underground, JDL, Omega 7, and other terrorist groups responsible for bombings in NYC.  For the remainder of his career, Sonne was assigned to the Queens Sex Crimes Squad, the Queens Task Force, the 108 and 110 Precinct Detective Units, the Special Investigations Division as a Polygraph Examiner, before finally returning to the 108 Precinct where he finished his career investigating homicides and developing their intelligence file on Korean Gangs.  

Sonne was the recipient of the departments Combat Cross, the NYPD's second highest award "granted to members of the service who, having received "Honorable Mention" awards, successfully and intelligently performed an act of extraordinary heroism while engaged in personal combat with an armed adversary under circumstances of imminent personal hazard to life." Sonne has been the recipient numerous other medals and awards for excellent and meritorious police work.  Warren is a member of the NYPD's Honor Legion. 

During his NYPD career, Sonne attended extensive specialized investigative training including several advanced Criminal Investigators Courses, Advanced Narcotics Training, Nikon's Forensic Photography Course, Arson Investigators Course, Homicide Investigators Course, Sex Crimes Investigators Course, Explosives Investigation, Heavy and Automatic Weapons training, Pursuit Driving Course, among others.  

Since retiring from the NYPD in 1989, Sonne has founded and remains president of two private investigation agencies; Pinnacle Protective Services, Inc., which is licensed and operates in NY, and Sun State Investigative Services, in Florida.  

Warren, a Board Certified Professional Investigator (BCPI), and a Certified Legal Investigator (CLI), is also the Founder of the United States Association of Professional Investigators, and the former Associate Editor-Law Enforcement at PI Magazine as well as a contributing author for Officer.com. 

The author of many articles including "Investigating Automotive Product Liability Claims" in the Nov/Dec 2003 issue of PI Magazine, Sonne's new book "Criminal Investigations for the Professional Investigator" is expected to be published by CRC Press before the end of 2005.

Ron French is the Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Pinnacle Protective Services. Now retired from the NYPD where he served honorably for twenty-six (26) years, French has attended both Kingsboro and John Jay College of Criminal Justice.

While with the NYPD French had many investigative and supervisory responsibilities including Case Management and overseeing Quality Assurance Programs. He was frequent lecturer at the NYPD Police Academy, speaking about Civilian Complaint Review Board issues.

French's NYPD career has included assignments to the Patrol Services Bureau, Intelligence Division, Internal Affairs Bureau, and the Chief of Patrols Office. He has conducted investigations involving Violent Street Crimes; Accident Investigations; Criminal Investigations; Insurance Fraud; Internal Affairs Investigations; Homicides and Serious Assaults; and while working for the Chief of Patrol, French conducted investigations involving extensive Civil Litigation against the City of New York. Prior to his retirement from the NYPD French supervised a Joint Narcotics Task Force comprised of members of the NYPD, Rockland County Narcotics Unit, Rockland Sheriffs Unit, and the New York State Police.

Upon his retirement from the NYPD French cofounded VIP Investigative Services, Inc., a full service private investigation company based on Staten Island, specializing in Workers Compensation investigations. In May of 2003, Ron became a partner in Pinnacle Protective Services and assumed the responsibilities of COO.

French's experience includes Surveillance; Sting Operations; Wiretaps; Integrity Testing; Drug Screening; Hazardous Materials Response; Emergency Response in Terrorism; Cellular Phone Fraud; Money Laundering Investigations. French has also received special training at the United Nations Security Course, and Heavy Weapons.