De Escalation Expert Witnesses
De escalation expert witnesses and consultants listed here may be able to form expert opinions, draft expert witness reports, provide expert witness testimony at deposition and/or trial as or serve as consulting (non-testifying) experts on de escalation. The de escalation expert witness listings on this page are typically from fields/areas of expertise such as: Education & Schools, Human Factors, Law Enf & Criminal Justice, Police Practices & Procedures, School Safety, Security, and Video.
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Spencer Fomby
Police Practices and Use of Force Expert Witness
Law Enforcement Tactical Consultants Inc
Arizona
Police Practices & Procedures, Law Enf & Criminal Justice
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Use of force, officer involved shootings, crowd control, crowd management, public order, less-lethal weapons, SWAT, patrol operations, tactical operations, chemical agents, police policy, firearms, de-escalation, in-custody death, arrest procedures, defensive tactics, impact weapons, Active Shooter
Retired Captain Spencer Fomby is the section chair for the National Tactical Officers Association Public Order Section and coordinated the creation of the NTOA Public Order Response and Operation Standards, the NTOA Public Order Basic Command Certification Course, and the NTOA Public Order Grenadier Workshop. He is the former director of the Boise, Idaho, Police Department Training, Education, and Development Division. He was previously employed by the Berkeley Police Department in California for 20 years. He has held primary assignments in patrol, narcotics, and crime prevention. He was assigned to SWAT for 18 years as an entry team member, team leader, and tactical commander. Spencer was the lead Berkeley Police Department public order instructor. He was responsible for equipment selection, tactical training, less-lethal weapon selection, chemical agent selection and deployment, and mission planning.
Spencer was the 2011 Berkeley Police Department Officer of the Year. He was the ...
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James (Jim) McMahon, CPP, CISSP
Physical/Info Sys Security Expert/Law Enforcement
McMahon & Associates
California
Security, Law Enf & Criminal Justice
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Intellectual Property protection, Physical /Personal/ Information/Network Security, Criminal Investigations, POLICE, CCTV, Computer Forensics, evidence collection, Standard of Care, Training, Fraud, Premises liability, Use of Force, premise security, truth, Information Systems Security, Expert Witness, de-escalation, tracking
Director Certified, Leadership Fellow NACD / Law Enforcement Exec.
Multiple professional certifications. Expert Witness Pre-case consultant
Accomplished professional with comprehensive international investigative skills, information security, and regulatory compliance background and success in achieving and exceeding organizational goals and objectives. Set goals, priorities, manage resources and develop safety plans. Accepted in state and federal courts as an expert witness.
Wide spread work in risk management, premises liability, duty of care, production, manufacturing, customer safety, executive protection global travel, employee training, fraud investigations, pre-employment background, drug testing, innovative regulatory compliance and loss prevention activities within local, state and federal guidelines. Frequent corporate advisor. Significant international experience and operations.
Successful multiple international projects. Research & evaluate industry trends, using...
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Mickey Williams, Esq., J.D., MPA
Police Chief and Attorney-Police Practices Expert
M.L. Williams Consulting, LLC
California
Law Enf & Criminal Justice, Police Practices & Procedures
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Use of Force, Training, Officer Involved Shooting, Canine , Internal Affairs, Police Discipline, Crisis Negotiations, Undercover , Evidence Handling, Pursuit Incidents, De-escalation, Incident Management, Homeless, Promotional/Hiring Processes, Investigations, Tactics, Policy, FTO, SWAT, Accident
Mickey Williams is a retired Police Chief with 29 years of municipal law enforcement experience. Mickey is a licensed California attorney who has extensive experience as a law enforcement trainer and college professor. Mickey offers expert witness services and consultation regarding case evaluation and strategy, incident evaluation, personnel issues, risk management concerns, and policing best practices. Mickey also conducts all types of investigations.
Mickey's areas of expertise include the following: Use of Force Review/Policy/Best Practices, Officer Involved Shootings, K-9 Deployment/Management/Policy, Internal Affairs Investigations, Police Discipline, Hostage/Crisis Negotiations, Criminal Investigation Best Practices, Undercover Investigations, Evidence Handling Practices, Media Relations, Emergency Vehicle Operations, Field Training Officer/Program Management, and De-Escalation and Crisis Management.
Mickey worked at all levels of municipal policing to include patrol, inv...
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Spencer Fomby
Police Practices and Use of Force Expert Witness
Law Enforcement Tactical Consultants Inc
California
Police Practices & Procedures, Law Enf & Criminal Justice
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Use of force, officer involved shootings, crowd control, crowd management, public order, less-lethal weapons, SWAT, patrol operations, tactical operations, chemical agents, police policy, firearms, de-escalation, in-custody death, arrest procedures, defensive tactics, impact weapons, Active Shooter
Retired Captain Spencer Fomby is the section chair for the National Tactical Officers Association Public Order Section and coordinated the creation of the NTOA Public Order Response and Operation Standards, the NTOA Public Order Basic Command Certification Course, and the NTOA Public Order Grenadier Workshop. He is the former director of the Boise, Idaho, Police Department Training, Education, and Development Division. He was previously employed by the Berkeley Police Department in California for 20 years. He has held primary assignments in patrol, narcotics, and crime prevention. He was assigned to SWAT for 18 years as an entry team member, team leader, and tactical commander. Spencer was the lead Berkeley Police Department public order instructor. He was responsible for equipment selection, tactical training, less-lethal weapon selection, chemical agent selection and deployment, and mission planning.
Spencer was the 2011 Berkeley Police Department Officer of the Year. He was the ...
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Michelle J Caron, MA, MS
Police Use of Force Expert – MPD Inspector (Ret.)
LawSec Consultants
Washington, District Of Columbia
Police Practices & Procedures, Law Enf & Criminal Justice
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Use of Force/Investigations, Vehicle Pursuit/Policy, Police Policy/Development, Force Review, Critical Incident Review, Professional Standards, Supervision and Leadership, Internal Investigations, De-escalation, Incident Command, Civil Disturbance, Accountability, Special/Patrol Operations, Crowd Control, After-Action Review
With 23 years of progressive leadership experience in the Metropolitan Police Department in Washington, D.C., my career reflects service within one of the nation’s most complex urban law enforcement agencies. My career spanned patrol operations, criminal and internal investigations, special operations, and executive-level command, with significant focus on misconduct and use-of-force investigations, policy development, and organizational oversight.
Throughout my tenure as a senior executive, I held multiple command assignments overseeing operational units, specialized teams, and department-wide review functions. I routinely evaluated use-of-force incidents and other critical events for policy compliance, investigative integrity, and adherence to constitutional and professional standards, emphasizing structured review processes and alignment between policy, training, and operational practice.
Within the Special Operations Division, I supervised civil disturbance response, tactical ...
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James (Jim) McMahon, CPP, CISSP
Physical/Info Sys Security Expert/Law Enforcement
McMahon & Associates
Eagle, Idaho
Security, Law Enf & Criminal Justice
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Intellectual Property protection, Physical /Personal/ Information/Network Security, Criminal Investigations, POLICE, CCTV, Computer Forensics, evidence collection, Standard of Care, Training, Fraud, Premises liability, Use of Force, premise security, truth, Information Systems Security, Expert Witness, de-escalation, tracking
Director Certified, Leadership Fellow NACD / Law Enforcement Exec.
Multiple professional certifications. Expert Witness Pre-case consultant
Accomplished professional with comprehensive international investigative skills, information security, and regulatory compliance background and success in achieving and exceeding organizational goals and objectives. Set goals, priorities, manage resources and develop safety plans. Accepted in state and federal courts as an expert witness.
Wide spread work in risk management, premises liability, duty of care, production, manufacturing, customer safety, executive protection global travel, employee training, fraud investigations, pre-employment background, drug testing, innovative regulatory compliance and loss prevention activities within local, state and federal guidelines. Frequent corporate advisor. Significant international experience and operations.
Successful multiple international projects. Research & evaluate industry trends, using...
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Spencer Fomby
Police Practices and Use of Force Expert Witness
Law Enforcement Tactical Consultants Inc
Illinois
Police Practices & Procedures, Law Enf & Criminal Justice
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Use of force, officer involved shootings, crowd control, crowd management, public order, less-lethal weapons, SWAT, patrol operations, tactical operations, chemical agents, police policy, firearms, de-escalation, in-custody death, arrest procedures, defensive tactics, impact weapons, Active Shooter
Retired Captain Spencer Fomby is the section chair for the National Tactical Officers Association Public Order Section and coordinated the creation of the NTOA Public Order Response and Operation Standards, the NTOA Public Order Basic Command Certification Course, and the NTOA Public Order Grenadier Workshop. He is the former director of the Boise, Idaho, Police Department Training, Education, and Development Division. He was previously employed by the Berkeley Police Department in California for 20 years. He has held primary assignments in patrol, narcotics, and crime prevention. He was assigned to SWAT for 18 years as an entry team member, team leader, and tactical commander. Spencer was the lead Berkeley Police Department public order instructor. He was responsible for equipment selection, tactical training, less-lethal weapon selection, chemical agent selection and deployment, and mission planning.
Spencer was the 2011 Berkeley Police Department Officer of the Year. He was the ...
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Brian Landers
Nationally-Recognized Law Enforcement Expert
LandersCRT, LLC
Illinois
Police Practices & Procedures, Law Enf & Criminal Justice
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Use of Force, Arrest, K-9, Police Dogs, Tasers, Pepper Spray, Investigations, Pursuits, Crowd Control, SWAT, De-escalation, Crisis Response, Hostage, Suicide, Jails, Traffic Stops, Officer-Involved Shootings, Firearms, Evidence, Security
Brian is the founder of LandersCRT, LLC and lead consultant/expert. Brian has experience as an expert witness throughout the United States in police practices, training, security practices, corrections, and use of force and tactics. A 19-year veteran of law enforcement who worked patrol, K-9, drug units, and rose to the rank of Lieutenant, Brian also brings valuable street experience to his clients. Now a full-time educator and trainer, Brian provides consulting and expert testimony services on a select basis for both civil and criminal cases. Brian holds a Master's Degree in Public Administration, a Bachelor's Degree in Criminal Justice, and is pursuing his Ph.D. in Business. He holds multiple certifications as a Master Trainer for law enforcement topics and use of force. He frequently serves as a media consultant on police and criminal justice issues for ABC, NBC, CBS, and Fox News affiliates. Brian was elected to three terms on the Columbia County Board of Supervisors (WI) and t...
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Robert Crusen
Police Practices & Procedures, Use of Force
St. Louis, Missouri
Police Practices & Procedures
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Use of force, Interviewing, Officer Involved Shooting, De-escalation, K9 Apprehension, Excessive force, Internal Affairs, Misconduct
Retired Detective Sergeant with over 35 years of experience. My career has involved work in Drug Enforcement, Homicide, K9 Handler, Mounted Patrol Supervisor, Internal Investigations and Use of Force Investigations. The last four years have been dedicated to working as a consultant for DLG Consulting and Advisory Services on projects in Minneapolis, MN and Albuquerque, NM.
Minneapolis, MN consisted of preforming quality Assurance reviews of approximately 600 backlog Use of Force Investigations, under Court File # 27-cv-23-4177.
Albuquerque, NM Court Approved Settlement Agreement (CASA) with the Albuquerque Police Department (APD) consisted of responding with APD investigators to the scene of use of force incidents and oversite of the internal affairs investigations. During this time, I oversaw over 300 cases that included deadly force encounters, K9 apprehensions, less-lethal weapons (taser, impact projectiles, chemical munitions), and empty-hand force incidents. In addition to t...
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Spencer Fomby
Police Practices and Use of Force Expert Witness
Law Enforcement Tactical Consultants Inc
New York
Police Practices & Procedures, Law Enf & Criminal Justice
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Use of force, officer involved shootings, crowd control, crowd management, public order, less-lethal weapons, SWAT, patrol operations, tactical operations, chemical agents, police policy, firearms, de-escalation, in-custody death, arrest procedures, defensive tactics, impact weapons, Active Shooter
Retired Captain Spencer Fomby is the section chair for the National Tactical Officers Association Public Order Section and coordinated the creation of the NTOA Public Order Response and Operation Standards, the NTOA Public Order Basic Command Certification Course, and the NTOA Public Order Grenadier Workshop. He is the former director of the Boise, Idaho, Police Department Training, Education, and Development Division. He was previously employed by the Berkeley Police Department in California for 20 years. He has held primary assignments in patrol, narcotics, and crime prevention. He was assigned to SWAT for 18 years as an entry team member, team leader, and tactical commander. Spencer was the lead Berkeley Police Department public order instructor. He was responsible for equipment selection, tactical training, less-lethal weapon selection, chemical agent selection and deployment, and mission planning.
Spencer was the 2011 Berkeley Police Department Officer of the Year. He was the ...
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Artur Sadowski
NYPD Trainer and Curriculum Designer
Police Weapons Training and Consulting
Brooklyn, New York
Police Practices & Procedures, Law Enf & Criminal Justice
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Use of Force, Firearms, Taser, Pepper Spray, Training, Curriculum Development, Investigations, Scenario based training, reality based training, Electrical weapons, NYPD, Instructor development, Tactics, use of force simulator, De-escalation, Expert Witness, Force Science, Force Investigation, Police Procedures, NYPD Policy
Artur Sadowski is a retired (2025) NYPD Detective with more than 24 years of combined military and law-enforcement experience, complemented by extensive academic credentials and nationally recognized instructor certifications. He spent four years in the Marine Corps as a military policeman, eight years as an NYPD officer on patrol in Brooklyn North and twelve years as an instructor at the NYPD’s Firearms & Tactics Section (FTS).
During his tenure at FTS he has trained thousands of officers in varying agencies in the use of firearms, pepper spray, Tasers, scenario, and simulator-based training. Since becoming the lead curriculum developer in 2017 he has written and revised approximately forty-five lesson plans delivered to tens of thousands of officers, and granted various instructor level certifications to over 800 instructor applicants in both New York and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.
He is certified by the FBI as a firearms, and carbine instructor; By the NYS Division of...
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Dr. John R. Black, DBA
Expert|High-Stress Decision-Making & Lethal Force
Aragon National Inc.
Redmond, Oregon
Police Practices & Procedures, Video
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Use-of-Force, Officer-Involved Shooting, Decision-making, Critical Sensemaking, Police Training, Patrol Operations, Police negotiations, Citizen-on-Citizen shootings, Self-Defense, Jail Operations, Intelligence, Internal Affairs, Police Mental Health Response, De-escalation, Incident Command, Defensive Tactics, Policy, Crowd Control
EXPERT IN USE OF FORCE & LETHAL FORCE INCIDENTS
In cases involving force--lethal force, understanding decision-making is as critical as the facts themselves. Whether you are a defense attorney explaining your client’s actions or a prosecutor challenging them, you need an expert who integrates both events and decision-making processes. Dr. Black offers a unique approach, blending quantitative precision with qualitative insight into how individuals make sense of their world.
RENOWNED EXPERT IN LETHAL FORCE DECISION-MAKING
Dr. Black is a recognized expert with extensive experience in international, federal, and state courts on lethal force, police use of force, officer-involved shootings, and civilian self-defense. His expertise in high-stakes decision-making under pressure offers critical insights. Dr. Black blends forensic analysis with human-centered perspectives, ensuring a balanced view that benefits both defense and prosecution.
ADVANCED FORENSIC VIDEO AND QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS
...
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Mickey Williams, Esq., J.D., MPA
Police Chief and Attorney-Police Practices Expert
M.L. Williams Consulting, LLC
Vonore, Tennessee
Law Enf & Criminal Justice, Police Practices & Procedures
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Use of Force, Training, Officer Involved Shooting, Canine , Internal Affairs, Police Discipline, Crisis Negotiations, Undercover , Evidence Handling, Pursuit Incidents, De-escalation, Incident Management, Homeless, Promotional/Hiring Processes, Investigations, Tactics, Policy, FTO, SWAT, Accident
Mickey Williams is a retired Police Chief with 29 years of municipal law enforcement experience. Mickey is a licensed California attorney who has extensive experience as a law enforcement trainer and college professor. Mickey offers expert witness services and consultation regarding case evaluation and strategy, incident evaluation, personnel issues, risk management concerns, and policing best practices. Mickey also conducts all types of investigations.
Mickey's areas of expertise include the following: Use of Force Review/Policy/Best Practices, Officer Involved Shootings, K-9 Deployment/Management/Policy, Internal Affairs Investigations, Police Discipline, Hostage/Crisis Negotiations, Criminal Investigation Best Practices, Undercover Investigations, Evidence Handling Practices, Media Relations, Emergency Vehicle Operations, Field Training Officer/Program Management, and De-Escalation and Crisis Management.
Mickey worked at all levels of municipal policing to include patrol, inv...
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Marcus Sprague
Police Practices Expert
FC2 Consulting
Nashville, Tennessee
Law Enf & Criminal Justice, Police Practices & Procedures
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Police Procedures, Use of Force, Officer Involved Shootings, Tactical Operations, Crowd Control, Crowd Management, SWAT, Patrol Operations, Investigations, Active Shooter, Training, De-Escalation, Incident Command
Marcus has over 25 years of law enforcement experience in a wide variety of assignments, including over a decade with the SWAT team, where he served as an operator, sniper, team leader, and commander. He also served as a supervisor on his mobile field force team. Marcus worked various assignments, including uniformed crime suppression, homicide, property crimes, narcotics, and an auto theft task force.
Marcus served as a police officer in a city of 200,000 people in California's North Bay. He currently serves as Director of Training for the Ohio Tactical Officers Association. He formerly served as the Executive Director of the California Association of Tactical Officers and was an original plank holder of CATO's Strategic Leadership Program. Prior to that position, Marcus served as the Vice President. He currently serves as the Conference Director and member of the training cadre, where he developed the curriculum and taught Critical Incident Leadership for supervisors, SWAT Team...
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Brian M Wolf, M.Ed.
San Antonio, Texas
Education & Schools, School Safety
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De-escalation, Physical Intervention, Bullying, Special Education, Restraint, Conflict Resolution
A native Oregonian, I served in schools there for 37 years as a teacher, coach, HS Principal, Special Education Director and Superintendent prior to retiring from educational leadership in 2015. Subsequently, I worked for another 7 years as a Risk Management Specialist in the insurance industry. My principal duty during that time was conducting 25-30 Crisis Prevention Institute (CPI) de-escalation/physical intervention trainings annually, for Oregon school districts statewide. The primary focus of these trainings was nonviolent crisis intervention with severely emotionally disabled students. Most of the sessions ran for one or two full days in length.
I am currently serving as an Expert Witness in a legal case involving the physical restraint of a student, or lack thereof, engaged in self-injurious behaviors.
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Brian D Baxter, MS
Force Science, Ltd. - CEO, Brian Baxter
Force Science, Ltd.
Austin, Texas
Police Practices & Procedures, Human Factors
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Use of Force, Response to Resistance, De-escalation, Less Lethal, Law Enforcement, Police, EMT, Duty to Intervene, Force, Deadly Force, Defensive Tactics, Arrest and Control, Ground Control, Excessive Force
Brian Baxter is a Use of Force and Police Practices expert and the Chief Executive Officer of Force Science. Ltd. where, in addition to research and public safety training, his team is dedicated to honest accountability and informing triers of fact by analyzing human performance during high pressure, time-compressed encounters.
Brian is a retired, 30-year veteran of the Texas Dept. of Public Safety where he served as a patrol trooper, a SWAT team member, an undercover narcotics agent, an organized crime investigator, and a people leader from first-line supervisor to senior executive. Brian has a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice and a Master of Science in Applied Psychology and is a combat infantry veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Brian was the primary author for his former agency's use of force policy as well as the policy that created the agency-wide Use of Force Review Board. Brian served as the chair of the firearms discharge review board and subsequently the Use of F...
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Spencer Fomby
Police Practices and Use of Force Expert Witness
Law Enforcement Tactical Consultants Inc
Austin, Texas
Police Practices & Procedures, Law Enf & Criminal Justice
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Use of force, officer involved shootings, crowd control, crowd management, public order, less-lethal weapons, SWAT, patrol operations, tactical operations, chemical agents, police policy, firearms, de-escalation, in-custody death, arrest procedures, defensive tactics, impact weapons, Active Shooter
Retired Captain Spencer Fomby is the section chair for the National Tactical Officers Association Public Order Section and coordinated the creation of the NTOA Public Order Response and Operation Standards, the NTOA Public Order Basic Command Certification Course, and the NTOA Public Order Grenadier Workshop. He is the former director of the Boise, Idaho, Police Department Training, Education, and Development Division. He was previously employed by the Berkeley Police Department in California for 20 years. He has held primary assignments in patrol, narcotics, and crime prevention. He was assigned to SWAT for 18 years as an entry team member, team leader, and tactical commander. Spencer was the lead Berkeley Police Department public order instructor. He was responsible for equipment selection, tactical training, less-lethal weapon selection, chemical agent selection and deployment, and mission planning.
Spencer was the 2011 Berkeley Police Department Officer of the Year. He was the ...
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David T. Sweeney
Expert Witness in Policing Best Practices
DT Sweeney Consulting, LLC
Seattle, Washington
Law Enf & Criminal Justice, Police Practices & Procedures
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Law Enforcement, Police pursuits, Use of force, Less lethal weapons, De-escalation, Crisis intervention, Rapid intervention, Police supervision, Early intervention, Police training, Civil rights, US 1983, Legal standards for police, Best practices for police, EEO, EVOC, Discrimination, Harassment
Seattle Police Lieutenant (ret.) with 34 years of experience. I am easy to reach, and I return calls and email promptly. I will provide you with an unbiased review of the evidence and then we can determine how I can best help you with your case. I enjoy helping both defense and plaintiff attorneys. Currently, I have assisted plaintiff and defense attorneys with 60+ cases. This mix comes from my ability to examine the evidence and provide you with an honest assessment so that I can help you with your needs, whether it be an evaluation, a report, testimony, advice, etc.
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Brian Landers
Nationally-Recognized Law Enforcement Expert
LandersCRT, LLC
Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin
Police Practices & Procedures, Law Enf & Criminal Justice
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Use of Force, Arrest, K-9, Police Dogs, Tasers, Pepper Spray, Investigations, Pursuits, Crowd Control, SWAT, De-escalation, Crisis Response, Hostage, Suicide, Jails, Traffic Stops, Officer-Involved Shootings, Firearms, Evidence, Security
Brian is the founder of LandersCRT, LLC and lead consultant/expert. Brian has experience as an expert witness throughout the United States in police practices, training, security practices, corrections, and use of force and tactics. A 19-year veteran of law enforcement who worked patrol, K-9, drug units, and rose to the rank of Lieutenant, Brian also brings valuable street experience to his clients. Now a full-time educator and trainer, Brian provides consulting and expert testimony services on a select basis for both civil and criminal cases. Brian holds a Master's Degree in Public Administration, a Bachelor's Degree in Criminal Justice, and is pursuing his Ph.D. in Business. He holds multiple certifications as a Master Trainer for law enforcement topics and use of force. He frequently serves as a media consultant on police and criminal justice issues for ABC, NBC, CBS, and Fox News affiliates. Brian was elected to three terms on the Columbia County Board of Supervisors (WI) and t...
