Experts:
Our case experts are involved in the critical stages of litigation, often called upon to provide specific input and testimony on issues arising in the litigation process. Our experts include use of force, proper police tactics, crime scene forensics, domestic violence, police reporting, police officer supervision, training, personnel issues, special weapons, taser use, traffic, sexual harassment, hostile work environment, police dispatch procedures and a variety of other areas of law enforcement specialties.

By using our panel of experts, it ensures availability of the necessary expertise during any stage of the litigation, and allows for an inexpensive solution for the need of the expert. Our firm’s experts have no minimum billing requirements, so specific experts can be used on every issue present in the litigation process. All expert qualifications are carefully evaluated, updated and available for review to ensure reliability and acceptance during the litigation process. By working with the legal defense team, expenses related to expert witnesses can be managed to prevent excessive billing.

Pre-Employment Background Investigations – Law Enforcement:

Our liability based pre-employment background investigations are conducted on sworn full-time and reserve Police Officer applicants. These investigations are completed thoroughly, accurately and in such a fashion that future potential issues of liability are avoided. All background packages are reviewed by our in-house law enforcement liability legal staff before completion; to ensure all issues of liability are addressed before the applicant is hired. This process allows for agencies to reduce liability from negligent hiring practices that arise during possible future federal litigation, in which pre-employment background packages are discoverable under federal statues. Through the use of technology, we are able to provide faster, more accurate and complete information during the hiring process.

Claims/Liability/Law Suit Investigations:

These investigations are conducted during the early stages of any potential claims against a city, high liability incidents or initial litigation stages. We are mindful of the need for discretion and protection of privacy that is required in the investigation claims against school districts and personel.  This is particularly true when there are claims by a minor of adult misconduct. Working in conjunction with city legal representation, risk management personnel and insurance carriers, these investigations focus on gathering facts from all parties involved, including police officers, supervisors, victims, witnesses and suspects. Our highly trained staff of investigators, who possess greater skill levels and training than typical claims adjusters, discover important facts which can assist in taking the necessary measures to address liability issues quickly, swiftly and accurately before expensive litigation takes place. Our investigators are on-call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to respond to any incident involving a liability risk to an agency.

Case Preparation/Research:

These highly trained investigators assist in case preparation during the litigation process. Reviewing personnel files, internal affairs investigations, pre-employment background reports, training records and other documents; which are discoverable under federal discovery, for the legal defense team during the litigation process. Our investigators are highly trained to recognize important issues that can arise in these documents and work closely with legal representation to strengthen the cities defense to such claims and law suits.

Internal Affairs Investigations/Experts:

Internal affairs investigations are a critical component of all law enforcement agencies. Balancing the rights of the involved officers, the complaining party, the organization and the community is an important task. Our staff of highly skilled internal affair investigators conducts independent internal affairs and personnel investigations for law enforcement agencies ensuring accurate, fair, independent investigation of all external and internal complaints filed against organizations and individual officers. Our investigators understand the internal affairs process and legal obligations and requirements to ensure these investigations are accurate, complete and contain all necessary information. All internal affairs investigators are supervised and assisted by in-house experts specializing in law enforcement internal affairs investigations. Our internal affairs investigators are on-call and available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and will respond to any scene where a need arises. This service is offered at no additional cost.

Our internal affairs supervisors/experts coordinates all internal affairs investigations conducted by our firm. These supervisors/experts all are licensed attorneys, with significant law enforcement executive management experience with internal affairs emphasis. They also have the experience, education and qualifications to qualify in state and federal court as experts in all areas of personnel investigations. Personally supervising and participating in every investigation guarantees accuracy, efficiency and reliable results. Due to the high stakes of these investigations, potential for discipline actions and liability, our IA supervisors/experts are involved with every step of the process to ensure all issues are addressed completely within the boundaries of the law for all parties involved. All reports are generated or approved by these supervisors/experts before being presented to police management. Our IA supervisors/experts work closely with police management teams during the entire process.

Additionally, our IA supervisors/experts are available to assist police management in the management of internal affairs policies, file maintenance and record keeping; ensuring compliance with all applicable prevailing law. Our firm has the ability to provide a complete professional standards unit at a fraction of the cost of having an in-house unit.