Expert Witness Services

We believe in vigorously defending law enforcement agencies and their officers and deputies, who are threatened by wrongful, vexatious, or baseless litigation from questionable plaintiffs. We can provide expert witness services to attorneys representing cities, counties, state and federal agencies, or police or deputy sheriffs associations in litigation involving:

• Police training

• Arrest and control tactics

• Domestic violence

• Police use of force

• Patrol response

• Workplace violence

Call to get a copy of Dr. Steve Albrecht's CV and fees.

As many civil attorneys should remind themselves and their clients, the best relationship with an outside expert should begin long before any incident of potential liability or an actual civil case hits the desk of the risk manager or senior executive.

And when the courtroom battles begin, pitting the plaintiffs' threat assessment experts against those of the defense, the validity and success for either side will hinge on the ability of the attorneys to support the knowledge, skills, and expertise of one expert and exploit the lack therein with the other.

Using consultants as expert witnesses is not without its perils. One person may look great on paper and yet can't put three coherent words together when faced with the pressure of testifying. Another may have years of experience, but may not be up to date when it comes to the latest trends, tools, psychological and statistical studies, and current research.

The expert you choose should be familiar already with many of the organizational, behavioral, legal, or security issues facing the organization. While some organizations have these on-going relationships, most make contact with an expert only after a significant event has driven them to it. Since consultants aren't regularly listed in the usual phone book, it's best to engage in some networking to get referrals for the best industry experts.

Many experts are advertising their services on the Internet. Their web pages often serve as a good source of information to help sift through the choices and select viable candidates. Be aware however, that just because some information (career highlights, education, experience, etc.) appears on the Internet, that doesn't make it true. It's not uncommon for some consultants to stretch the truth and claim they can fix everything from schizophrenia to dandruff. (In one case, the other side's security expert claimed in his bio to have conducted over 4,000 site security vulnerability surveys in 10 years, a run of more than one per day, every single day, for a decade!)

The best expert referral source, of course, is through your own colleagues who have faced similar violence and assessment issues requiring expert help.

The first step in acquiring the services of an expert is to review his or her experiences. Often, this is best described in a C.V. (curriculum vita) or a detailed bio. You'll want to see if the expert has an appropriate marriage of work experience, educational background, national certifications, publishing history, consulting expertise, speaking, training, and actual hands-on casework, including deposition work, courtroom qualifications, and testimony history. You may want to ask for samples of their work, references from past clients, or other clarifying data.

Besides providing consultation, research, and case management help, the expert should be consulted as to which interrogatory, deposition, or courtroom questions to ask of the other side's victims, witnesses, and own expert witnesses. Because experts who work in police litigation are a relatively small national community, many of them know each other and can comment on their colleagues' strengths and weaknesses.

Finally, in terms of fees, most threat assessment and related experts charge anywhere from $100 to $500 per hour. This includes case discussions, deposition reviews, site visits, meetings, and travel time. It makes good economic sense to make appropriate use of their valuable and expensive time. Give them specific tasks with specific outcomes, deadlines, and outputs. The strength of your case often relies on your ability to pick the right expert and make the most of their contribution.