Ben joined the Norfolk Police Department VA on August 1, 1966. He graduated K-9 Basic school on January 1, 1968, and worked as a handler for four years. After being promoted, he remained as a working shift supervisor and assistant trainer for basic schools for the next four years. After serving in other divisions for six years and being promoted again he was assigned as the executive officer/head trainer of the Norfolk canine/emergency response team unit, which consisted of thirty canine teams. In 1985 he graduated from P.S.P trainer school as a certified trainer under West German standards. During his twenty-one years in K-9, he handled eight different canine partners. 

Norfolk K-9 training school consisted of three to four schools per-year and was open to all other agencies and normally consisted of eight to ten teams. In 1985 he was a founding father of the Virginia Police Work Dog Association. He served as President for eight years and continues to serve as a Master Trainer to this day. In 1985 he also became a member of the North American Police Work Dog Association. In 1986 he was selected for the position of adjunct instructor for the canine instructors' program by Shelton College. 

Ben received his Master Trainer certification from NAPWDA in 1988, and was given the title of Senior Master Trainer in 2020. Ben retired from the Norfolk Police Department on April 1, 1995, to assume the position of head K-9 law enforcement trainer at Landheim Training Center in Dyer IN., and held this position for five years and resigned to assume the position As President of NAPWDA in 2000.

 

Ben has served NAPWDA as an Accreditation Chairman for eight and a half years, Public Demonstration Coordinator for seven years, and President for twelve years and Is presently serving as a Trustee. 

For the last ten years, he has conducted monthly maintenance training and basic K-9 schools for three Virginia police departments. He continues to teach at state workshops as well as NAPWDA national workshops.