Crime Related Personal Injury Expert Witnesses

Michael J. Canaan, CPP CFLC is a Forensic Premises Liability Expert Witness with over 42 years of experience in military and civil law enforcement, as well as, corporate and private sector security and investigative positions.

Mr. Canaan is Board Certified in Security Management by the American Society for Industrial Security, International. ASIS is the largest professional security practitioner association with over 38,000 members worldwide, of which only 2200 have received this prestigious certification. Mr. Canaan is also a Certified Forensic Litigation Consultant with the Forensic Expert Witness Association. 

Mr. Canaan has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Criminal Justice from Washington State University.

Assignments have taken him from the Bering Sea to Southeast Alaska, across Canada and the United States, to countries in Central and South American in case venues ranging from educational settings, amphitheaters and stadiums, nightclubs and sports bars, ships, casinos, retail environments, food processing facilities, malls, and shopping centers.

Those assignments typically have involved evaluating failure to meet best practices, duty or standard of care in areas such as hiring, training, supervision, policies and procedures, staffing, and technology in cases ranging from allegations of voyeurism, violation of privacy, improper installation of security infrastructure or systems, inadequate security, excessive force, threats, intimidation, harassment, assaults, rape, robbery, shootings, and homicide.

Of the 25+ expert cases worked, 80 percent have been for the defense, with testimony experience in deposition and at trial.

Since 1991, Mr. Canaan has served as President of Trident Investigative Service, Inc. He is a former Washington Certified Police Officer and Narcotics Detector Dog Handler. Mr. Canaan is a certified instructor in related disciplines and maintains active membership in numerous professional associations.  View Michael Canaan's Consulting Profile.

Roy G. Taylor is a current Chief of Police with over 40 years of experience in a wide-range of federal, state, local, and private criminal justice positions. Mr. Taylor specializes as an expert witness in Police Practices and Procedures and Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice. Current Positions:

• Chief of Police Blue Ridge Public Safety (2014)
• President/CEO Signal 88 Security of Charlotte (2012)
• President/CEO Capitol Special Patrol (2012)
• Chief of Police Capitol Special Police (2002)
• Lt. Colonel – Provost Marshal, Army National Guard (2000)
• Antiterrorism / Emergency Management Branch Chief DoD (2007)
• Provost Marshal Joint Civil Support Task Force, Joint Chiefs of Staff (2014)

Litigation Support - Mr. Taylor is called upon to analyze cases from both defense and plaintiff perspectives. His services include case review, written reports, deposition, and trial testimony as needed. Areas of Expertise:

Police Standards & Practices Use of Force & Deadly Force Electronic Control Devices Standards of Conduct High Speed Vehicle Pursuits & Chases Law Enforcement Policies and Procedures

Failure to Train Law Enforcement Malpractice Failure to Supervise Violations of §1983 Civil Rights Personnel Selection & Retention Police K-9

View Roy Taylor's Consulting Profile.

Profile: Mr. Foster has over 25 years experience in corporate security management, law enforcement and security consulting, including physical security, security guard operations,regulatory compliance, security training, and the purchase and maintenance of security equipment. As a consultant, he has developed and/or audited security programs involving financial institutions, multi-unit residential properties, hotels/motels, retail stores, high rise office buildings, shopping malls, parking facilities, college campuses, lounges, jewelry stores, truck stops and other commercial properties. He is frequently retained as a litigation consultant by law firms representing plaintiffs and defendants in negligent security lawsuits. He has testified at trial as an Expert Witness in the field of security on numerous occasions.

Mr. Foster has served as a detective with assignments in burglary, auto theft, and homicide and as the Vice President for security for a state-wide bank. He has been an adjunct instructor at two colleges teaching courses in criminology, criminalistics, criminal justice management and computer fraud. He has made numerous presentations to national security, banking, business and consulting associations and groups on a variety of security-related topics, including negligent security and risk analysis.

Services: Risk Assessments; Security Surveys and Assessment; Financial Institutions Security (ATMs, after-hour depositories); Litigation Avoidance; Litigation Consulting / Expert Witness Services.

Michael S. D’Angelo, CPP, CSC,CHPA is the founder of Secure Direction Consulting, LLC. He has been in the public safety and private security industries for over 25 years. 

Background - Before transitioning into security management, Mr. D’Angelo was a Police Captain, serving 23 years with the South Miami Florida Police Department. During his law enforcement career, he served in a variety of specialized units and gained significant managerial experience as a supervisor, middle manager, and senior commanding officer. Upon transitioning to the private security profession, Mr. D’Angelo was hired as the Corporate Security Manager for Baptist Health South Florida, where he served as an internal consultant for security and emergency preparedness to six hospitals and a multitude of outpatient/non- hospital facilities. D'Angelo achieved both Board Certification in Security Management (CPP) and Board Certification in Security Consulting (CSC). Expanding his expertise in the healthcare sector, he went on to achieve both the Certified Healthcare Protection Administrator (CHPA) and Certified Healthcare Emergency Professional (CHEP) designations. 

Litigation Support - Michael S. D’Angelo provides forensic litigation support for cases involving security negligence and premises liability. Mr. D'Angelo's services include case review, expert testimony, and consultation on security standards and best practices. *Please contact for Mr. D'Angelo's CV. 

View Michael D'Angelo's Consulting Profile.

Timothy A. Dimoff, CPP Founder and President of SACS Consulting & Investigative Services, Inc., is considered one of the nation's leading authorities on Security Procedures; Security & Vulnerability Assessments; Police Procedures, including Use of Force; High-Risk Workplace and Human Resource Issues; and Substance Abuse Issues.

He has over 30 years experience in security matters in both the public and private sectors. He is a renowned speaker, expert witness, trainer, and author appearing on national media including Dateline, NBC, CNN, The Chicago Tribune, The New York Times, The LA Times, The Washington Post, and The Wall Street Journal. Mr. Dimoff is the author of six books, including How to Recognize Substance Abuse, The YOU in Business and Life Rage, a chilling examination of societal rage and safeguards against it.

Areas of Expertise: Security Policies and Procedures; Use of Force; Human Resource Issues; Police Procedures; High Threat and Security Vulnerability Analysis, Drugs and Substance Abuse; Law Enforcement Procedures.

Contact: Mart Saferin & Associates - 440-669-6325

View Consulting Profile.

John M. White, CPP, CHPA is Board Certified in Security Management; Certified Protection Professional (CPP); Certified Healthcare Protection Administrator (CHPA); and a Published Author.

Mr. White has been a professional security practitioner, security consultant, and expert witness since 1999. He has over 40 years of experience in Corporate Security Management and Law Enforcement and Security consulting, including physical security, security operations, regulatory compliance, & security training. Prior to forming Protection Management, LLC, Mr. White served a distinguished career in law enforcement, corporate security, and the military.

As a security consultant, Mr. White has developed and/or assessed security programs involving multi-unit residential properties, hotels/motels, homeless shelters, tourism services, places of worship, retail stores, high rise office/residential buildings, food services, entertainment services, healthcare services, hospitals, long-term care facilities/assisted living, parking facilities, college campuses, lounges, and other commercial properties.

In 2013, Mr. White was approached by publisher Butterworth-Heinemann and asked to write a book on security risk assessments. That book, titled: Security Risk Assessment – Managing Physical and Operational Security was published in July 2014 and is available online through numerous bookstores.

Litigation Support - Mr. White has been retained by law firms representing plaintiffs and defendants in negligent security, premises liability, and use of force lawsuits in the field of security. His services include case consultation, document review and analysis, deposition, arbitration and mediation, and trial testimony when necessary.

Areas of Expertise:

Crime Prevention Emergency Preparedness Healthcare Security Premises Security Issues Security Risk Assessments Security Audits

Security Training Security Management Security Program Development Security Policies Use of Force Workplace Violence

View John White's Consulting Profile.

R. Paul McCauley, Ph.D. assists plaintiff and defense attorneys in police, security, and jail related issues. He is Emeritus Professor of Criminology and former police trainer, security manager and faculty of the National Crime Prevention Institute and the Southern Police Institute. He has qualified in state and/or federal courts in more than thirty states and Canada. Dr. McCauley was an advisor to three national, presidential and congressional crime committees. He was a Fulbright Senior Scholar to Australia--police security interactions. Dr. McCauley is a noted consultant and published author. 

J. Patrick Murphy has over 40 years of experience in Law nforcement, Security Management, and Corporate Loss Prevention. Mr. Murphy's background as a Fortune 50 company security director provides a strategic view of operations, security planning, and liability. His continuing education in the area of security case law and his unique approach to investigating cases make him a valuable Security Expert Witness to any litigation team. His hands on approach and advice during the discovery phase of the case can often be pivotal in determining the ultimate outcome.

Mr. Murphy provides Security Expert Witness testimony for plaintiff or defense in a broad area of security liability. He specializes in Crime Analysis to establish Foreseeability and to determine the Reasonableness of security measures. Mr. Murphy has extensive litigation experience opposing Wal Mart. Plaintiff 60% Defendant 40%

Areas of expertise:

• Premises Liability and Inadequate Security - apartment communities, bars and Other adult Entertainment venues, malls and shopping centers, parking garages / lots, motel, restaurants
• Retail Loss Prevention - hiring, training and supervision, false arrest, shoplifting, excessive use of force, death during apprehensions, false imprisonment, employee theft, wrongful termination in malls, and major retail settings
• Bouncers, Bars, Nightclubs, and Security Guards - mall security, shopping center security, proprietary and contract security guards and off duty police
• Insurance Casualty Claims - adequacy of security hardware such as burglar alarms, robbery alarms, closed circuit television (CCTV), fencing, fictitious pickups of goods and cargo theft at warehouses and distribution centers

Victor Lofgreen, PhD has over 30 years of experience and education in the fields of Corrections and Community Development. He is a prison and jail consultant who conducts cases analysis and develops reports to support litigation on prison and jail issues. Experience - Dr. Lofgreen has served as the CEO of a State Adult Correctional Institution and the Division Chief of a State Planning Agency for Corrections. He has authored numerous professional papers and articles on topics within his area of expertise as well as Agency Policy and Procedure Manuals and training materials. Litigation Support - Dr. Lofgreen's expertise is in Jail and Prison Policy and Procedures related to the standard of care for inmates by local, State, and Federal correctional agencies. His services are available to counsel representing plaintiff and defendant and include case review, case study and data analysis, report of Expert Opinion based on the evidence included in the case study, deposition, and trial testimony as needed. Areas of Expertise:

Death in Custody/ Inmate Suicide Use of Force Proper Booking Procedure Prison Searches Deliberate Indifference

Inmate Work Supervision Inmate Assault Staff Assault on Inmates Conditions of Confinement Prisoner Medical Care Standards

Robert S. Griswold, CRE, CPM, CCIM, PCAM, CCAM, GRI, ARM, has over 30 years of specialized experience in the field of Real Estate Management. He is currently active as a day-to-day hands-on, licensed practitioner, consultant, and expert witness in all aspects of real estate (except valuation). A 3-time graduate of the distinguished Marshall School of Business at the University of Southern California with a BS ('81), MBA ('86) and MSBA (2nd Masters) ('88) in real estate and related disciplines, Mr. Griswold is a recognized expert on management of all types of residential real estate. He has actively managed over 60,000 residential units and several million square feet of commercial, industrial, self-storage and retail properties nationally. He has extensive experience as a court-appointed receiver (over 160 times) for private lenders and major financial institutions. Litigation Support - In the last 25+ years, Mr. Griswold has consulted on over 2,000 litigation matters, has been deposed over 600 times, and provided sworn testimony in trial or arbitration on over 150 occasions in both state and federal litigation matters throughout the United States. Also serving as a court-appointed bankruptcy Custodian and Referee, his case work is very evenly divided between plaintiff and defense work. Mr. Griswold is uniquely qualified to opine on real estate related litigation matters having authored or co-authored the 9 best selling real estate books: Real Estate Investing For Dummies; Property Management Kit For Dummies; Mortgage Management for Dummies and Landlord's Legal Kit For Dummies. His 15+ years as an On-Air NBC-TV Real Estate Expert and a similar tenure as a major radio station weekly talk show host have prepared him to present opinions to juries. Areas of Expertise:

Property Manager or Broker Fiduciary Duty Transactions Lease / CAM Disputes Lease Mitigation Premises Liability - Trip & Fall Maintenance or Failure to Maintain "Slumlord" Allegations Health & Safety or Personal Injury Wrongful Death

Property Inspections Water Intrusion, Mold Bed Bugs Fair Housing, Discrimination HUD Management Issues, Criminal Acts Management / Receiver Fees Transfer Disclosures, Misrepresentation, Negligence Negligent Hiring, Supervision, Termination Association Board Duties and Negligence

View Robert Griswold's Consulting Profile.

Jeffrey C. Fox, PhD, MBA, MS, BLS, AAS, CHPA IV, CHS IV, served for 32 years in the field of Public Safety, 21 of which were with the VA State Police. He has over 20 years of personnel, administrative, and program management experience. Dr. Fox was a member of the American College of Forensic Examiners Institute where he holds a Level 4 Homeland Security Certification. He has completed the Federal Emergency Management Agency Professional Development Courses and was certified through the Virginia Department of Emergency Management as a trainer for incident command system training courses. As a practitioner, he was involved in the response and management of all types of events such as major disasters including floods, hurricanes, snow/ice storms, and the largest traffic crash in Virginia history. He has also managed and responded to civil unrests, protests, a sniper attack, dignitary protection, special event planning, and many major crimes.

Background - Dr. Fox began his law enforcement career as a military policeman in the U.S. Army and served as a town police officer, trooper, sergeant, first sergeant, and lieutenant. He served as a field lieutenant with the VSP and served as the assistant training officer where he managed the daily operations of the training academy. He also served as the statewide incident management program manager for the VA Department of Transportation in the operations and security division. 

Teaching / Speaking Experience - Dr. Fox retired from state service as the Program Coordinator and Assistant Professor for the Homeland Security & Emergency Preparedness and Criminal Justice Cohort Programs for VA Commonwealth University. He served as an Assistant Professor and Chair of the Public Safety Adult Degree Completion Programs (Bachelors) [Criminal Justice and Homeland Security & Emergency Management] for Bluefield College. While the assistant training officer for the VSP, Dr. Fox collaborated with the University of Virginia and together they created the National Criminal Justice Command College. Having spent 20 years instructing at various criminal justice academies in a plethora of criminal justice, instructor development, and leadership courses, Dr. Fox has taught over 560 criminal justice and homeland security / emergency preparedness courses, and management / leadership courses which include over 18,000 classroom hours. He has taught over 85 criminal justice topics in police academies, which include over 4,000 hours of classroom instruction. Dr. Fox has served on over 35 boards or committees relating to criminal justice, homeland security, or training issues. He was tasked with overseeing the implementation of NIMS compliance issues for two large state agencies totaling approximately 6,000 employees. He has also overseen the development of several large distance-learning programs. Dr. Fox served as chairperson and committee member for many doctoral students in the public service leadership discipline. During his public service career, he earned over 167 commendations, awards, and honors for enforcement and service work, public speaking and instructing, and his academic achievements. 

Litigation Support - Dr. Fox serves as an expert witness for attorneys representing Plaintiff and Defendant. His services include case review, thorough reporting, depositions, and trial testimony as needed. 

Areas of Public Safety Expertise:

Leadership and Management Ethics Instructor Development / Training Basic Police Training In-service Training Field Training Officer Training / Development National Incident Management Incident Command Training Emergency Management Training Emergency Preparedness / Response Crisis Management Traffic Safety Traffic Incident Management Training

General Criminal Justice Procedure and Policies Patrol Criminal Interdiction Search and Seizure Use of Force DUI / DWI and Drug Enforcement Drug User Recognition Investigations Criminal Behavior Homeland Security / Terrorism Risk Assessments NIMS Compliance / Implementation Agency Policy Development or Review

Daniel B. Kennedy, Ph.D., is FCA’s principal consultant and is Board Certified in Security Management. Dr. Kennedy has had extensive specialized training in various aspects of Criminal Behavior, Policing Operations, Corrections Operations, and Private Sector Security Management. He specializes in crime foreseeability issues, appropriate standards of care in the security industry, and analyses of the behavioral aspects of proximate causation.

Dr. Kennedy has testified in cases involving the appropriate standards of care for the use of deadly force, vehicle pursuits, emergency psychiatric evaluations, prisoner health care, prevention of prisoner suicide, positional asphyxia/excited delirium, and “suicide by cop.” He also evaluates numerous lawsuits concerning premises liability for negligent security in the private sector involving properties both in the U.S. and overseas.

Gary Deel, Ph.D., J.D. has 10 years of experience in executive-level positions in the hospitality industry and 10 years of experience teaching hospitality management and law curriculum for some of the nation's top hotel schools.

Dr. Deel holds both a Ph.D. in Hospitality and a J.D. in Law, so he understands the nuances of expert witness testimony from the perspective of attorney strategy. He has also worked in a variety of different hospitality industry capacities including operations, sales, security and risk management, training and administration, and others. His services are available to help attorneys make the strongest possible arguments for clients in hospitality-related cases. Dr. Deel offers expert witness services nationwide in the areas of:

Hotels Resorts Restaurants Travel and Tourism Meetings and Events

Theme Parks Airlines Cruise Lines Casinos Golf Courses

Recent Cases:

• Suit against Miami beach resort involving catastrophic injury in the ocean and hotel duty to warn about latent hazards known to hotel and not obvious to visitors (plaintiff).
• Suit against Orlando city center convention hotel involving sexual assault of a minor guest by an employee and hotel duty to monitor employee whereabouts and activities (plaintiff).

Howard Levinson, CPP has been in the Security field for over 37 years. As the President of Expert Security Consulting, his firm provides services such as Risk and Vulnerability Assessments and Surveys and Security System Designs of new and existing private and public facilities. His diversified experience in Security has included Education Complexes, Banking, Retail, Commercial, Industrial, Distribution, Home Crime prevention, Investigations, and other related areas. Mr. Levinson has performed or directed consultations at over 200 client locations. Mr. Levinson has been a Security Expert Witness for over 26 years. He assists attorneys in preparing for liability cases and provides expert witness and forensic testimony in cases involving security and premise liability issues. Representing both Plaintiff and Defense, he has either consulted or testified in over 50 cases. He is available to provide clear, concise reports with documentation for all investigation requirements. Areas of Expertise Include:

• Premise Liability
• Security Negligence with Security System Design (CCTV, Access Control, Alarms, Lighting)
• Risk and Vulnerability
• Security Operations
• Security Officer / Firm Negligence
• Crime Prevention
• Assaults and Attacks
• Policy and Procedures
• Theaters
• Parking Lots
• Schools / Education
• Residential
• Retail / Shoplifting
• Hospitality - Bars and Restaurants

View Consulting Profile.

Dr. Ron Martinelli, is a nationally renowned forensic criminologist and a federal/state courts qualified law enforcement and premises liability expert who is also a Certified Medical Investigator (physician's level) accredited by the MO State Medical Association. He is also a Certified Suicide Investigator. Dr. Martinelli directs the nation's only Forensic Death Investigations & Independent Review Team and specializes in officer-involved death cases, civilian self-defense shooting cases and premises liability/security cases.

Dr. Martinelli is a forensic/law enforcement expert to the U.S. Department of Justice, several State Attorney Generals' Offices, numerous major municipalities and nationally prominent private law firms specializing in wrongful death, civil rights and premises liability.

Dr. Martinelli is the prevailing expert in over 90% of his retained cases. He has saved defendants over $200M and earned plaintiffs over $60 million in jury verdicts and settlements since 2004. He is the media's go-to forensic expert for FOX News, One America News Network, CNN, HLN, Sky News, BBC, NPR, and the History & Discovery Channels. Dr. Martinelli is skilled in crime scene reconstruction, forensics, applied sciences and psycho-medical emergencies. His unique and extensive field experience, combined his academic and scientific credentials, excellent written reports and persuasive testimony, make him a very appealing expert to attorneys and juries alike.

Areas of Expertise:

• Arrests
• Search & Seizure
• Use of Force / Excessive Force - All Levels and Weaponry
• Officer Involved Shootings(OIS)
• In-Custody Deaths
• Criminal Investigations
• Police Practices, Training & Supervision
• Adult & Juvenile Corrections
• Law Enforcement Negligence
• Civilian Self-Defense, Security, Foreseeable Harm
• Insurance Cases.