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Provides Testimony In

Police Practices, Use Of Force, Police Pursuits, Narcotics Investigations, Police Misconduct, Security, Police Procedures, Police Practices, Police Pursuits, Police Misconduct, Police Procedures, Narcotics Investigations, Stalking, Crime Foreseeability, Taser Use Of Force, Officer Involved Shootings, Search Warrant Execution, Excessive Force, Law Enforcement, Wrongful Death

Police Practices Consulting & Litigation Support

Expert is a highly decorated, career law enforcement officer who advanced through the ranks of the police department with an exemplary record.  Recognized for integrity and leadership, he was appointed as assistant police chief and police chief and to two senior government positions by the Governor of Florida.

As a senior leader of major law enforcement agencies and a member of the department’s review boards; he has investigated hundreds of police misconduct allegations in all areas including use of force/taser/pepper spray/firearms, k-9, police pursuits, and workplace violence. He has broad-based experience in high liability areas including the management and development of polices and procedures in those areas.

An experienced frontline law enforcement officer who was directly or indirectly involved in thousands of arrests, his experience includes service in various capacities with direct hands on involvement and /or supervision in areas such as patrol, street narcotics, SWAT, k-9, street crimes, criminal investigations, training and homicide.

He has testified in hundreds of depositions, hearings and trials. His written reports have been utilized in hundreds of civil and criminal depositions, hearings and trials in state and federal court.

35 years experience of frontline law enforcement has provided expertise in the following:

Police Practices and Training
Police Organization and Management
Use of Force
Security/Workplace Violence
Vehicle Pursuits
Crime Reduction Techniques
Narcotics Investigations

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Private Company: Present
Following a successful career as a law enforcement professional, now a police practices consultant for attorneys, law enforcement agencies and the media.  He provides police practices consulting and expert witness testimony for both plaintive and defense attorneys.

Oviedo Police Department: March 2004 – January 2007
Chief of Police
Oviedo is a fast-growing mid-size city with a population of over 35,000 residents located within the Orlando metropolitan area.  During this period, crime was reduced to its lowest levels in at least 10 years in spite of a rise in crime in the metro area. Changes were initiated in polices and procedures that resulted in dramatic reductions in vehicle pursuits and taser deployments. As the Chief of Police, he held sole responsibility for the review/investigation of all use of force, police pursuits and other allegations of misconduct. Expert was a founding member of a county wide policy committee which developed model policies for taser procedures and police pursuits.  Expert’s familiarity with policies and procedures helped guide the agency through the rigorous reaccredidation process with the Commission on Law Enforcement Accreditation.

Fort Lauderdale Police Department:  1975-2004
Resort city of nearly 200,000 full time residents which is located in Broward County Florida, one of the largest counties in the country with a population of 1.8 million. Expert advanced through the ranks and served as a police officer, field training officer, detective, sergeant, detective sergeant, captain, major, and assistant chief with 18 of those years as a commanding officer.  His career includes significant experience with the investigation of police officer involved shootings.    Expert also participated in, planned and/or supervised dozens of SWAT situations and over 900 search warrant executions.

Assistant Chief of Police: 2001-2004
Oversight for the efficient delivery of primary police services throughout the City on 24- hour, 7-day basis.  Directly assisted and relieved the Chief of Police in planning, directing, and coordinating the administration, operation and service functions of the department.   Responsible for findings and final recommendations of discipline on all allegations of misconduct. Command responsibilities for major events in the city including spring break, air and sea show, Superbowl activities and others.  Instituted the COMP Stat process, developed an original proactive program for reducing citizen complaints, created new pepper spray policy and new review process for k-9 apprehensions.

Police Major: 1998-2001
Oversight for the 24-hour/7-day week delivery of police services in a Patrol District comprising approximately 70,000 residents. Also served as the Commander of the department’s Community Support Division, which coordinated all community policing activity. Command responsibility for patrol, k-9, crime prevention, community policing, traffic, mounted, school resource officers and marine patrol. Personally directed the oversight team for the Florida Attorney General’s Convenience Store Security Act.

Police Captain: 1993-1998
1995-1998: Commander of a Patrol Shift and the Field Training Officers Program.
1993-1995: Direct oversight and responsibility for the Criminal Investigations Division, which contained 10 investigative units.
Police Sergeant: 1987-1993
Supervised a patrol shift, countywide drug enforcement unit, the homicide unit, technical Investigations and street narcotics unit.

Detective: Vice/Metropolitan Organized Crime Unit: 1982-1987. Agency lead Detective in organized Crime investigation of large Philadelphia Crime family resulting in conviction of the head of the family.

Police Officer: 1975-1987                                                                                                                                                                                                 Served the City of Fort Lauderdale as a certified Police Officer and tactical/SWAT officer. Member of highly trained street crimes felony unit.

Certified Reserve Police Officer with Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Capitol Police: January 2011-present

Other professional Experience:

State of Florida: January 2007 – January 2011
Deputy Chief of Staff to Governor Charlie Crist: November 2009 – January 2011
Member of Governor Crist’s senior executive management team with responsibility for over 100,000 employees and a $70 billion budget.  Senior advisor to the Governor on law enforcement and business regulation with direct oversight responsibilities for all of the primary statewide law enforcement agencies.

Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation: Jan 2007 – Nov 2009
Secretary/CEO: February 2008 – November 2009
Deputy Secretary: January 2007 – February 2008
The Secretary is a constitutional officer appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Florida Senate. This statewide agency is the primary business regulatory agency charged with licensing and regulating approximately one million Floridians. The agency consists of 2000 employees including 200 law enforcement agents and a budget of 150 million
dollars. Directed and/or reviewed approximately 30 law enforcement internal affairs complaints and numerous policies within the Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco.

Ioppolo Law Group: July 2011- Present
Part time government affairs consultant

SELECT ACCOMPLISHMENTS

1989: Co-founded the countywide Operation CRADLE Anti-Drug Street Crime Program
1990: Developed and managed two successful crime reduction studies
1995: Created the Threat Abatement Group (Stalking Prevention and Investigation)
1996: Developed the FLPD Field Training Officers Program
1997: Co-authored the City of Fort Lauderdale Workplace Violence Policy
2001: Co-authored new pepper spray policy
2005: Co-created the countywide Taser and Police Pursuit Policies

MAJOR AWARDS

Fort Lauderdale Police Department Officer of the Year: 1989
State of Florida Fraternal Order of Police Officer of the Year Nominee: 1989
40 Departmental and Public Commendations

EDUCATION

Bachelor of Arts Degree, Administration of Justice: 1979
St. Thomas University, Miami, Florida
Associates Degree, Criminal Justice: 1975
State University of New York, Farmingdale, New York
Command Officers Development Course (400 hours) Graduated 1995
Southern Police Institute, University of Louisville, Kentucky
Florida Police Officer Certification: Graduated 1975
Broward County Institute of Criminal Justice

POLICE INSTRUCTOR

(former) – FDLE/Florida Commission on Standards and Training: Trained thousands of Police Officers in the following areas:
Sole Narcotics Instructor for Broward County Police Academy and Corrections Academy
Stalking Investigations
Domestic Violence
Workplace Violence
Narcotic Investigations and Drug Identification
Search Warrants
High Risk Entries
Patrol response to street narcotics
Use of Force
Street Narcotics Enforcement Instructor for the Key West Police Department

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

Certified Reserve Law Enforcement Officer, FDLE/Capitol Police
Florida Police Chiefs Association
Excel Recruiting Inc. Advisory Board
Fraternal Order of Police, Member, Past Board Member
Ft. Lauderdale Retirees Association
Broward County Police Chiefs Association (Past Member)
Seminole County Police Chiefs Association (Past Member)
Oviedo-Winter Springs Chamber of Commerce (Government Affairs Comm.)

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

Seminole County Parks and Preservation Advisory Board
Central Florida Boys Town, (Past Member of Board of Trustees)
Board of Directors, Helpful Hands Inc. of Seminole County
Most Precious Blood Catholic Church
Women in Distress, (Past Board Member)
American Cancer Society, Relay for Life
Oviedo Historical Society

Recent Media Interviews
Upon Request

PROFESSIONAL COURSES/SEMINARS ATTENDED

Office of Attorney General/Florida Crime Prevention Training Institute: Crime Prevention Commercial Applications: 12/12/11-12/16/11
TASA: Writing killer reports: 11-22-11
TASA: Selling your expertise: 11-11-11
SEAK Starting and building an expert witness business: 4-13-11
SEAK National Expert Witness Conference: 4-15, 16-11
FDLE Elder Abuse: 1/29/11
FDLE Ethics Training: 6/2/09
FDLE Ethics Training Module 2: 6/3/09
FDLE Ethics Training Module 3: 6/3/09
FDLE Ethics Training Module 4: 6/3/09
FDLE Domestic Violence: 5/20/09
FDLE Juvenile Sexual Offenders: 5/26/09
FDLE Discriminatory Profiling and Professional Traffic Stops: 5/26/09
Firearms Qualification and Use of Force: 6/10/09
FPCA Law Enforcement Bill of Rights: 1/8/06
Public Safety Technology: 1/8/06
Legislative Process: 1/8/06
Change Management: 3/8/06
Oviedo Disaster Preparedness: 7/06
Oviedo Use of Force: 7/06
FPCA Understanding Islamist Militant Terrorism: 6/29/06
FSA In-Custody Sudden Death: 6/1/06
Oviedo Bloodborne Pathogens: 12/05
Oviedo Executive Training: 2005
Oviedo Firearms Training and Qualifications: 8/05
Oviedo Use of Force/taser Training: 8/05
Executive Look at Coaching and Managing Discipline and Discharge: 9/14/05
Oviedo Executive Training, Polices, Taser, Police Pursuits: 2005
Oviedo EOC Training: 6/05
FPCA Preparing for Media Relations, Public Safety Technology: 2/9/05
Executive summary of “The 7 Habits for Highly Effective Law Enforcement”: 3/16/05
Search Warrant Legal Updates: 4/04
ICMA Scenario Planning: 3/23/04
Oviedo Use of Force/policy/Taser Training: 3/04
Oviedo Bloodborne Pathogens: 5/04
Oviedo Diversity Training: 6/04
Oviedo Firearms Training and Qualifications: 3/04
Oviedo Firearms Training and Qualifications: 11/04
FPCA Risk Management Leadership, Fatal Police Shootings, In Harm’s Way: 6/26/05
Assistant Emergency Management Director Training: 6/10/05
Oviedo Supervisor Diversity Training: 6/04
FPCA “What Do They Say When They See You Coming”: 6/27/04
SCC Personal Protection Equipment Fit Training: 10/20/04
Professional traffic stops, domestic violence, juvenile sex offenses: 12/03
FDLE FCIC Certification: 4/29/02
DOJ WMD Incident Management/Unified Command: 12/02
FDLE Incident Command Center: 11/01
FLPD Professional Traffic Stops: 10/01
National Emergency Response and Rescue Training Domestic Preparedness Program: 12/14/01
Florida Regional Community Policing Institute, Introduction to Community Policing: 8/2000
FLPD Human Diversity: 11/99
St. Petersburg College, The Managerial Buy-In: Strategic Analysis of Police Strategies: 3/99
FLPD Domestic Violence: 7/98
FLPD Juvenile Sexual Offender Investigations: 7/98
FLPD Emergency Vehicle Operations: 4/98
Mental Health Association Domestic Violence: 10/97
FLPD Gender Bias in the Workplace: 9/97
Mental Health Assoc of Broward, Domestic Violence, Breaking the Cycle: 10/96
IPTM Administration and Management of the Field Training Officer Program: 3/96
University Of Louisville, Southern Police Institute: 1995
Governor Chiles’ Task force on Domestic Violence, “The Epidemic of a Crime, Acting to End Domestic Violence”: 10/95
Women in Distress, Domestic Violence and Substance Abuse Training: 9/95
Association of Threat Management Professionals, Threat Management Conference: 8/95
Broward Community College, Human Diversity Concepts: 2/95
Miami-Dade Community College, Investigating Unusual Deaths: 12/94
State Attorney, 17th circuit, Domestic Violence
Women in Distress, Enforcement of Injunctions and Stalking Investigations: 6/94
Specialized Training Services, The Psychopathic Personality: 2/94
Specialized Training Services, Assessment of Violence Potential: 2/94
BSO, The Law and Electronic Surveillance: 2/93
Broward Community College, Developing and Maintaining a Sound Organization: 12/93
Women in Distress, The National Domestic Violence Awareness Workshop: 10/93
National Intelligence Academy, Advanced Surveillance Operations: 3/93
M3 Media, Technology for the 90s: 3/93
SAGE Less than Lethal Training: 1993
Train the Trainer Program: 3/92
FDLE Professional Law Enforcement Trainer’s Course: 6/92
The Rights of Police Officers: 11/92
ATF Undercover Investigative Techniques: 2/91
National Emergency Response & Rescue Training Center, Domestic Preparedness: 12/91
F.B.I. Hostage Rescue Team: Hostage and Entry Team training: 1991
FLPD Skills Refresher: 11/91
The Metropolitan Police Institute, Spontaneous Knife Defense: 11/91
DEA Cannabis Detection and Eradication: 4/91
FDLE Cannabis Indoor Grow Investigations: 4/91
Broward Community College “Chasing the Dragon”: 4/91
Career Track “Leadership of Attila the Hun”: 11/90
Broward Community College, Effective Presentation for Instructors: 8/90
Keyes’ Supervising under Pressure: 8/90
FLPD Room Entry Techniques/Noise /flash diversionary device: 5/90
Broward Community College Instructor Techniques: 1/90
FLPD Handgun Retention: 12/89
Broward Community College Designer Drugs: 1/89
Broward Sheriffs Office Vice Narcotics Intelligence Commander: 10/89
FDLE, Vice, Intelligence, Narcotics Commander: 10/89
FDLE Auto Pistol: 10/89
BSO, Crack Enforcement Training: 9/89
GML Seminars Auto Pistol 2: 8/89
Broward Community College, Assessment Center Training: 6/89
Broward Community College, Auto Pistol: 4/89
Broward Community College Computer Applications in Criminal Justice: 11/88
Broward Community College Crack Cocaine: 10/88
FLPD Tough Communications for Tough Situations: 11/88
Broward Community College Models for Management: 5/88
FLPD Control and Constraint: 2/88
Broward Child Abuse Committee Multidisciplinary Training Program: 11/87
The Police Supervisory Seminar: 8/87
FLPD Interpersonal Communications I: 7/87
FBI Gambling Technology: 3/84
IRS Financial Investigative Techniques 9/83
Broward Community College Organized Crime for Law Enforcement Officers: 6/83
Broward Community College Officer Stress Awareness: 11/81
FLPD SWAT Training: 1981
Homicide Investigation: 9/81
FLPD Automatic Tactical Rifle Training: 1979
Broward County Police Academy, Police Officer Certification: 1975

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