Use-of-Force — California

Use-of-force California expert witnesses provide forensic investigations and written opinions in matters of alleged use of excessive force by police, private security and correctional officers, Customs and Border Patrol agents, Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers (ICE), DEA, emergency response personnel and other law enforcement agents, including claims ranging from verbal assault to justifiable homicide in officer involved shootings (OIS).

The use-of-force experts listed in this directory may provide forensic assessments and written opinions in matters of alleged excessive force, including evaluations of events before, during, and after the use of force, opining on the “totality of the circumstances” (as per Barnes v. Felix, 605 US 2025). This may include alleged delays in giving first aid to injured suspects, officers failures to cooperate with criminal investigators, and their comments posted on social media, and all other relevent information, before or after the event.

These law enforcement professionals may provide opinions and testify on the use of force with the mentally ill and those under the influence of drugs, including de-escalation tactics, forms of restraint (eg: face-down, prone, chokeholds, handcuffs) and weapons to subdue suspects (eg: mace, tasers, nightsticks and firearms). Some of these use-of-force experts may also have expertise in human performance factors, including the physiological and psychological impact of stress on officer performance in cases alleging excessive force or inadequate training. These court-qualified experts may also provide opinions on sudden furtive movements and mistaken perceptions about weapons held by suspects (eg: guns for cellphones), as well as the lethal capability of weapons (eg: pipes, bottles, bats, tire irons, flashlights, police batons).

In relevant matters, these experts may also testify about national and international standards in the use of force, including the United Nations Code of Conduct for Law Enforcement Officials and the Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials.