Force in Focus from Conflict to Cooperation
In a climate where the use of force in law enforcement has evolved into a complex and divisive issue, we recognize the need for a more constructive dialogue. The "Force in Focus Symposium" returns, reinvigorated and committed to fostering meaningful discussions.
Join us for this three-day summit as we gather experts, practitioners, and thought leaders from across the United States. Together, we will delve into profound reflections, explore innovative transformations, and seek collaborative solutions. Our speakers will provide a candid examination of lessons learned and share strategies for reinventing policies that prioritize transparency and community engagement, all while maintaining the safety and resilience of law enforcement in an era of heightened media scrutiny.
Together, we aim to shift the conversation surrounding the use of force in America from conflict to cooperation, creating a safer and more just society for all.
Sessions at a Glance:
Use of Force Critical Issues: Barnes vs. Felix, Accreditation and Policies
Use of Force and Liability
Lessons Learned: Defending Liability and Culpability
Using Evidence-Based Data to Improve Policies and Training for your Agency
Media Strategies in Use of Force Cases
Human Perception vs. Digital Evidence: How Human Factors Compare to Video
Cross-Cultural Communication and Use of Force Encounters
Growth After Trauma: My Personal OIS Story
Pre-Escalation Syndrome: Strategies to Improve De-Escalation
Three OIS Cases Later: Navigating Your Department to Your Family
Who Should Attend?
Active Sworn Law Enforcement Officers, Prosecutors, and Criminal Justice Professionals In Law Enforcement Offices
Session Type:
In-person conference.
Duration:
3-Days
Pricing:
Early-Bird Registration (12/6/24-3/4/25)
$399 MPPOA Members
$499 Non-MPPOA Members
Standard Registration (3/5/25-5/6/25)
$499 MPPOA Members
$599 Non-MPPOA Members
Late Registration (5/7/25-5/16/25)
$599 MPPOA Members
$699 Non-MPPOA Members
MPPOA Members Use Code 'MPPOA25' When Registering
Cancellation Policy:
- Full refund available, 60+ days prior to the event.
- 50% refund available 59-30 days prior to the event.
- No refunds will be made 29 days prior to the event.
Sponsorship Opportunities:
If you or your organization would like to participate in this event as a sponsor, please contact Aimee Schroeder at aschroeder@eckberglammers.com
Hotel Options:
Holiday Inn Express & Suites Mall of America - MSP Airport
To book:
- Click the link above
- Select dates of your stay and group rate "For"
- Select view prices
- Verify that 'Force in Focus Sympo' is listed above the nightly rate to verify your in the group booking.
Presenters/Speakers
Imran Ali
Attorney, Senior Director of Training, Consulting and Investigation Services
Imran is a distinguished trial lawyer and shareholder at Eckberg Lammers, bringing two decades of legal expertise to his role as the Executive Director of Training, Consulting, and Investigation Services (LETAC). Imran's commitment extends beyond the courtroom, where he has successfully handled intricate cases, including homicide, sexual assault, and human trafficking. With a passion for victim advocacy, Imran has become a prominent figure in the criminal justice profession, training judges, law students, and thousands of law enforcement professionals nationwide. Recognized for his outstanding contributions, he was named Minnesota Attorney of the Year in 2016 and 2020, solidifying his reputation as a legal luminary dedicated to upholding justice with honor and integrity.
Aimee Schroeder
Investigation Specialist
Aimee Schroeder is the Investigation Specialist and Training Coordinator for the Law Enforcement Training Academy and Consulting group.
Bill Hutton
LETAC Faculty
Accomplished law enforcement and public safety leader with more than 40 years of experience. Currently providing subject matter expertise on law enforcement issues for a statewide Sheriffs’ association, collaborating with state officials and legislators to influence policy and advocate for public safety. Former Executive Director of the Minnesota Sheriffs’ Association, where I guided and supported Minnesota’s 87 elected Sheriffs, advancing legislation and delivering educational programs statewide. Served three terms as the elected County Sheriff of Washington County, MN, managing a large and diverse team while spearheading major public safety projects. Prior experience includes roles as Police Captain and Executive Director of a youth service bureau, demonstrating a long-standing commitment to community service and public safety.
Gwen Martin
Captain Gwen Martin
Captain Martin has been with the Cottage Grove Police Department since 2000. Prior to that, she worked as a paramedic and as a community mental health social worker for 10 years. Captain Martin holds a B.A. in Psychology, an M.A. in Police Leadership, and a Ph.D. in Emergency Management. She began studying posttraumatic growth in 2021.
Steve Linders
Steve Linders is a strategic communications consultant who specializes in media relations, crisis communications, and public relations. Over the past 25 years, he’s dedicated his career to helping many of Minnesota's most venerable public organizations tell their stories, protect their reputations, and build trust with the communities they serve.
Steve began his public relations career in book publishing but quickly pivoted to public service. Since then, he’s led public relations, crisis communications, and marketing-communications for the University of Minnesota, Saint Paul Public Schools, Allina Health, Mitchell-Hamline School of Law, and the Saint Paul Police Department.
With a deep appreciation for those who dedicate their lives to the service of others, Steve has helped these organizations share their success stories, build community consensus and support, and navigate crises large and small.
Thanks to a combination of extraordinary mentors and organizations that trusted him with their reputations, Steve has developed a wealth of hard-earned, practical wisdom that he shares with other public information officers. He currently works with the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension to train chief law enforcement officers and public information officers, and has provided training for the Minnesota County Attorneys Association, the Council of Great City Schools, the League of Minnesota Cities, and the City of St. Paul’s Professional Development Institute.
In his spare time, Steve enjoys reading and spending time with his family.
Dr. Shawn Moore
Distinguished LETAC Faculty
Dr. Shawn Moore is a former Police Officer for Brooklyn Center Police Department. He has 20 years of professional experience in the field of Cultural Competency, Conflict Resolution, and Community Engagement. This has included, working as a community liaison in the Moundsview School District, a community and cultural coordinator for North St. Paul School District, Coordinating the Scholars Program at Century College, and Director of community engagement and service learning at Bethel University, and Metro State University. He has taught in this field as an adjunct professor, senior Mall of America training officer, and community-training liaison. Shawn is currently a Volunteer State Mediator for Hennepin County. Throughout all of his work experience he has been tasked with the responsibility to teach and conduct cross-cultural, conflict resolution, and community engagement workshops and trainings. He also gained experience from his time living abroad which included living in Guam for 4 years. Also, Shawn spent significant time in Japan, Korea, China, the Philippines, Australia, and South Africa.
Brian Peters
Executive Director of Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association
Brian Peters has been the Executive Director of the Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association (MPPOA) since June 2019. MPPOA represents the state’s 10,000+ public safety officials who hold active law enforcement licenses. Members include police officers, correctional officers, and dispatchers. MPPOA is the largest association representing public safety professionals in the State of Minnesota.
Prior to becoming Executive Director, Peters led Target Corporation’s Global Crisis Management, Threat Assessment and Travel Security Program. Before leaving Target for the MPPOA, Peters served on Target’s Executive Services Team tasked with the Safety and Security of Target’s top Executive Leadership Team.
Prior to his role at Target, Peters served as a police officer for 14 years in the City of Brooklyn Center, a first-ring suburb of Minneapolis. He was a community service officer, patrol officer, sergeant, and commander.
Peters holds a Master’s Degree in Police Administration from the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul and bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. Peters is also a graduate of the FBI National Academy Session 251. He lives in the Twin Cities with his wife and two children.
Matthew Botterbusch
As a consultant and an advanced human factors specialist, Matthew assists law enforcement agencies in improving their use of force policies, practices, and training. With 27 years of experience in various aspects of policing, Matthew's expertise includes patrol, SWAT leadership, narcotics, mobile field force, street crimes, drug recognition expert testimony, and Patrol Executive Officer responsibilities. He holds multiple certifications in use of force instruction, analysis, and investigation from reputable institutions such as the Force Science Institute, Critical Incident Review, and the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC). Additionally, he earned his Advanced Specialist certification in human factors from the Association of Force Investigators (AFI).
Matthew established and currently oversees the Use of Force Review and Analysis Unit at the New Castle County Division of Police. This groundbreaking initiative, the first of its kind in Delaware, serves as a national model for force analysis. The unit conducts reviews and analyses of more than 600 use of force incidents annually, ranging from weapon displays to officer-involved shootings. These reviews focus on improving officer decision-making, performance, oversight, and data collection, while also providing analytical feedback and recommendations to command staff and training units.
In addition to his departmental role, Matthew provides instruction, consultation, and presentations nationwide on the principles of human factors, forensic video analysis, and best practices for use of force review and management. Throughout his career, he has instructed thousands of students, including officers, investigators, government officials, prosecutors, members of the judiciary, private attorneys, and civilian review boards. As an active law enforcement officer and analyst, he is also the co-founder of First State Force Review LLC and serves as an advisory board member for the Association of Force Investigators.
Sean Ryan
Sergeant
Sergeant Sean Ryan is an active serving 15-year law enforcement veteran for his agency that has an authorized strength of 415 sworn personnel. Sean currently serves as a Sergeant in a fully dedicated Use of Force Review and Analysis Unit in Delaware, reviewing hundreds of Use of Force interactions annually. Sean has worked as a patrol officer, street crimes team member, undercover narcotics detective, as well police drone operator. With over 12 years of instructor experience, he has a teaching background in the fields of use of force, control tactics, narcotics investigations, search and seizure, de-escalation, as well as scenario-based training. He has received certifications in force analysis through the Force Science Institute, Critical Incident Review, and Advanced Human Factors through the Association of Force Investigators. Sean instructs and has consulted with law enforcement officers, prosecutor offices, attorneys, citizen police academies, as well as civilian review board members.
Todd Larson
Todd Larson is the Director of the What You Do Matters (WYDM) Institute focused on training criminal justice personnel across the United States. Prior to this role, he was the Associate Vice President of Workplace and Public Safety for a large Arizona Hospital System and was responsible for Security, Emergency Management, Central Communications, Access Control, Military Partnership, Simulations Training Center, Trauma Outreach, Injury Prevention, and the Forensic Nursing Program across six hospitals and over 100 other locations. Prior to working in Healthcare, Todd retired from the Scottsdale (AZ) Police Department after 22 years of service. He spent the majority of his career investigating felony crimes within the Special Investigations Section, Violent Crimes Unit, Federal DEA Phoenix Task Force and served over ten years on the Scottsdale Police Department SWAT Team as an operator, sniper, and team leader. Todd has authored numerous court orders and warrants as well as serving as an instructor for the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), The Scottsdale Police Department, and The Arizona Narcotics Officers Association (ANOA) Annual Conferences. Todd is a graduate of The Advisory Board’s High Performing Leadership Fellowship, The Northwestern School of Police Staff and Command, and is a Certified Force Science Specialist. Todd has authored several published articles involving police training, tourniquet research, TBI research, and healthcare technology. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Education from Northern Arizona University, a Master’s Degree in Leadership with Emphasis on Crisis Management and Disaster Preparedness from Grand Canyon University, and a Doctorate in Organizational Leadership from Grand Canyon University. Todd’s complete Curriculum Vitae is attached.
Joseph Mensah
Detective
Joseph Mensah started his career as a Sworn Reserve Police Officer for the City of Wauwatosa in 2009. In 2012, Joseph was hired by Dane County where he obtained his state certification after graduating the Basic Law Enforcement Academy with Madison College. The following three years was split between the Dane County Sheriff’s Office and the University of Wisconsin – Madison, where he worked a s Police Officer. In 2015, Joseph returned to his hometown of Milwaukee Wisconsin, and stared working as a Police Officer and Special Response Team (SRT/SWAT) Operator for the City of Wauwatosa. During that time, Joseph obtained his B.S. in Criminal Justice from the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee. In the fall of 2020, Joseph left the Wauwatosa Police Dept., and in January of 2021 started working for the Waukesha County Sheriff’s Dept. as a Deputy Sheriff. That same year, Jospeh was promoted to the rank of Detective. Joseph’s current roles include being a member of the Detective Bureau’s Internet Crimes Against Children Unit, as well as the Sheriff Dept’s Tactical Enforcement Unit (TEU/SWAT).
Bob Scales
Chief Executive Officer - Police Strategies, LLC
Bob Scales is a founding partner of Police Strategies LLC where he currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer. Police Strategies LLC uses data science and technology to help law enforcement agencies implement effective policies, training programs, and accountability systems. The company’s Police Force Analysis System℠ provides law enforcement with in-depth reviews of force incidents, helping agencies identify and address high risk conduct and compare use of force practices across multiple agencies. Scales has partnered with several universities to analyze the data collected by his data systems and has published several peer-reviewed academic journal articles on use of force practices.
Previously, Scales served as a Deputy Prosecuting Attorney in King County Washington, a Special Assistant United States Attorney for the Western District of Washington, the Assistant Director for Public Safety for the City of Seattle, the Director of the Government Affairs for the Seattle City Attorney, and the Compliance Coordinator for the Seattle Police Department. Scales represented Seattle during the USDOJ pattern or practice investigation of Seattle PD in 2011 and helped to negotiate the subsequent consent decree. Scales was elected to two terms on the Bainbridge Island, WA City Council and served one year as Mayor.
William J. Lewinski, Ph.D.
Executive Director, Senior Research & Instructor Force Science
Dr. Lewinski is a leading behavioral scientist whose work has focused on the intensive study of human dynamics involved in high stress, life-threatening encounters. He has a Ph.D. in Police Psychology and is a professor emeritus of Law Enforcement at Minnesota State University, Mankato, where he taught for more than 28 years, was an L.E. Program Director and also chair of the Department of Government. Dr. Lewinski’s research has impacted law enforcement officers and agencies worldwide and has revolutionized the way force investigations and training are conducted. He is a popular presenter in the law enforcement industry and has appeared before scores of groups world-wide, ranging internationally from New Scotland Yard, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the International Association of Chiefs of Police to the British House of Commons and House of Lords as well as Obama’s President’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing. He has presented to local, state, and national departments throughout North America and the United Kingdom including twice by invitation as a keynote speaker to international medical conferences in the U.K.
Marlon Marrache
CEO Blu Consulting, Inc.
Marlon Marrache is a distinguished law enforcement professional with a rich and extensive career in the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD). With a commendable 25-year tenure, Marlon has served as both an active Police Lieutenant and a retired Police Sergeant, showcasing his commitment and dedication to upholding the principles of justice and public safety.
Educationally, Marlon holds a Juris Doctorate, a testament to his academic prowess and a solid foundation for his contributions to the legal aspects of law enforcement. Throughout his illustrious career, he has emerged as a leading authority in Police Administrative Discipline and Misconduct, particularly excelling in the intricate realm of Use of Force Investigations.
Marlon's expertise extends over 13 years in the specialized field of Police Misconduct Investigation, adjudication, and examination. His pivotal roles within the Internal Affairs division have included serving as an Associate Advocate, where he conducted Board of Rights Hearings, and in the Officer Representation Section, where he defended fellow police officers. These experiences have provided him with a comprehensive understanding of the nuances involved in handling disciplinary matters within law enforcement.
A key aspect of Marlon's professional profile is his demonstrated mastery of Internal Affairs Disciplinary matters, with a pronounced emphasis on the Peace Officer Bill of Rights Act (POBR). His keen insights and proficiency in navigating the legal intricacies of police conduct have set him apart as a reliable and trusted authority in the field.
In addition, Marlon Marrache is recognized as a Subject Matter Expert in Administrative Police Misconduct and Categorical Use of Force Investigations, particularly in Officer Involved Shootings (OIS). Leveraging his wealth of experience, he provides expert testimony in Internal Affairs investigations, offering fair, reasonable, and impartial recommendations on the "adjudication" and "penalty" of completed investigations.
His commitment to upholding the highest standards of integrity and justice within law enforcement, coupled with his unparalleled expertise, solidifies Marlon Marrache's reputation as a distinguished figure in the field of Police Administrative Discipline and Misconduct.
James Tacchini
Sergeant San Francisco Police Department
James Tacchini is a Sergeant in the San Francisco Police Department and has been with the SFPD for 17 years. He recently completed a full-time assignment as an investigator on the Officer-Involved shooting team where he investigated several high profile OIS incidents and use of force incidents. James is currently back on patrol working as a street supervisor.
Aside from being one of the department's Use of Force experts, James is a team leader on the SFPD's Hostage/Crisis Negotiation Team. Annually the HCNT team responds to over 100 callouts with a high success rate of peaceful resolutions.
Education does not stop in the classroom, and what you learn you will be able to take back to your agency and pass on to affect real and beneficial change.
Mitch Javidi, Ph.D.
Mitch is an accomplished envisioneer with over three decades of practical Leadership Development experience in a variety of industries. He is a widely recognized leader, who has founded the National Command & Staff College, Institute for Credible Leadership Development and the Criminal Justice Commission for Credible Leadership Development. Furthermore, Mitch has developed MAGNUS OVEA, a general theory of Officers’ Wellness, Resiliency and Leadership which has since become a groundbreaking work in the industry. His expertise and acumen are sought after worldwide and he has been a keynote speaker and presenter at numerous Fortune 500 conferences and associations as well as countless Public Safety organizations such as FBI NAA, HAPCOA, HIDTA, NTOA and WLLE. Additionally, Mitch has delivered educational programs to over 200 agencies across the nation such as NYPD, LAPD, Ogden Police Department, NC State Patrol and Harris County Sheriff’s Office.
Jeff Kingsfield
CEO of MAGNUSWorx
Jeff Kingsfield is the visionary CEO of MAGNUSWorx, a cutting-edge wellness and training platform designed specifically for law enforcement agencies. With a deep-rooted passion for uplifting the men and women who serve our communities, Jeff works closely with Sheriffs, Chiefs, and leaders at state Departments of Corrections to address the complex challenges arising from occupational stressors.
A thought leader in the field, Jeff has extensively studied and researched the neurobiology behind the long-term impacts of stress. His innovative approach leverages this scientific foundation to offer holistic solutions that enhance the well-being and performance of law enforcement personnel.
Collaborating with a team of experts from the National Command and Staff College, renowned for their expertise in law enforcement, and the team at RippleWorx, known for their reputation in providing technology to support human performance, Jeff ensures that MAGNUSWorx is at the forefront of innovation and effectiveness.
An athlete at heart, Jeff has completed 12 Ironman races, including the prestigious Kona race in 2019. His understanding of resilience is deeply rooted in his long-term investment in this challenging sport, further enriching his approach to wellness and training.
Prior to leading MAGNUSWorx, Jeff enjoyed a successful 30-year career in Real Estate, where he honed his skills as a strategic leader. Today, he brings that wealth of experience to MAGNUSWorx, steering the company towards new horizons in wellness and training solutions for law enforcement.
In every endeavor, Jeff embodies a professional, conversational, and engaging communication style. He is not just a CEO; he is a mentor, a problem solver, and a catalyst for positive change in the lives of those who protect and serve.
Hosts
LAW ENFORCEMENT TRAINING ACADEMY & CONSULTING
This course is offered and conducted by Eckberg Lammers’ Law Enforcement Training Academy & Consulting team of experienced trainers and consultants. Information provided in these trainings does not constitute or contain legal advice, nor do they establish and attorney-client relationship.