VA – Use of Force: Leadership, Decision Making and Review For Law Enforcement and Correctional Professional

Northern Virginia Criminal Justice Training Academy
Hosting
Use of Force: Leadership, Decision Making and Review
For Law Enforcement and Correctional Professional
with Lt. Kevin F. Dillon (ret)
Jan 13 – 14, 2026

It was both an honor and a pleasure to present our Use of Force Analysis for Law Enforcement Leaders course on Jan 13-14, 2026. The training brought together officers from multiple law enforcement agencies from the surrounding areas, fostering a collaborative and engaging learning environment.

The course was exceptionally well received, with all participants demonstrating enthusiasm, professionalism, and a strong commitment to the training. Their active participation greatly contributed to the success of the program. A review of the course evaluations below revealed overwhelmingly positive feedback, reflecting the value and impact of the training. 

I would also like to extend my sincere appreciation to Mr. Robert Tokarchic, Training Coordinator, for his outstanding support and coordination. His dedication ensured a seamless experience for the attendees and his continuous outreach played a key role in maximizing enrollment.

What the Team had to say!

Please assess the quality of this presentation.
23 out of 25 evaluations collected rated this cate gory at the highest level of excellent, 2 rated it as 4 Very good.
Comments

• Concise and informative. Could be longer course. Highest caliber and a must for any commander.
• Excellent instructor, expert knowledge and presentation skills! This material is crucial for all LE leadership and instructors. K.D. brings an approach and perspective with scientific backing that is so needed in policing today. Only recommendation is maybe more media body Cam videos.
• Very good, can you make it an audio book version of your class?
• The book is very helpful for writing reports.
• Illustrations and real-life examples.
• Highly informative and presented in a manner in which the information can be understood.
• Excellent training, made it very interesting and understandable.
• The instructor does a great job of giving real examples when teaching the class. At no point was I bored during the presentation.
• Every officer should receive this training in at different stages of their careers.
• The presenter was excellent. Very interactive with audience.
• The presenter was amazing! I learned a lot that I will be taking back to my DT agency.
• Outstanding!!! Very eye opening. Discussed critical incidents to overlay the initial memory to help deputies through it.
• Great and awesome
• The presentation provided valuable tools to utilize in investigating and reviewing a use of force incident. The physiological response discussion of what is happening in an officer’s brain was extremely interesting.
• Great stories to better explain the material that was going over on PowerPoint.
• The instructor showed knowledge on use of force tactics on multiple scenarios. The instructor by doing this presented a high quality class.
• The material presentation of this class was excellent. I loved the visuals.
• The training was informative and engaging. My critique is that some of the material seemed aimed for first line supervisors by other parts more for executive staff but it went back and forth and wasn’t clearly organized.

 Please assess the instructors of this program. Lt. Kevin F. Dillon (Ret)
23 out of 25 evaluations collected rated this cate gory at the highest level of excellent, 2 rated it as 4 Very good.
Comments

• If it wasn’t for this class, others like it that he teaches and from attending his training, our agency would be 10 years behind in policy and training. This information prepares a ripple effect to save careers… and has.
• KD is an outstanding instructor. As a DT instructor he has left me motivated to bring this quality of instruction to those that I teach. Excellent experience! Please Offer more lock up classes at NVC JTA.
• You make it interesting
• The class is helpful on all levels
• Well informed and engaging
• Lieutenant Kevin Dillon is a dynamic speaker at presenting the information in ways That’s easily understood. Keeps you engaged throughout the class.
• Great knowledge and experience
• Excellent, would take this class again KD is a very good instructor in definitely should teach a class on being an instructor.
• Very engaging and good interaction of relevant stories and exhibits. Provokes thought and reflection.
• Very good job with everything.
• Kept my attention, finally an instructor that doesn’t make me want to tear my ears off.
• Presentation is received well.
• Instructors depth of knowledge and ability to communicate that knowledge was excellent
• great knowledge of the material and experience. Involved students in discussion.
• KD was amazing. I would take every class he teaches, such an engaging instructor.
• Incredibly informative. I believe the information is pertinent.
• loved the content given regarding analysis.

Course Synopsis:

In today’s environment, every use of force incident is placed under a microscope—often dissected frame by frame and judged by individuals who may lack the necessary training or context. This scrutiny can fuel distrust and spread false narratives, making it more important than ever for leaders and trainers to approach these incidents with accuracy, expertise, and objectivity.

The analysis, investigation, and training related to police use of force remain some of the most complex and evolving challenges in our profession. This intensive 2-day training is designed for all ranking officers, internal affairs investigators, and trainers responsible for reviewing, evaluating, or instructing on use of force incidents. Regardless of rank or assignment, the skills taught in this course apply directly to anyone in a leadership or oversight role.

Through lectures, case studies, and live demonstrations, participants will gain actionable insights and proven strategies for navigating the modern challenges of use of force incidents. The course emphasizes evidence-based analysis, accurate reporting, and legally sound decision-making—tools essential for both defending appropriate actions and addressing deficiencies when they occur.

Through a combination of lectures, real-world case studies, participants will gain practical insights and proven strategies to effectively assess and respond to modern use of force challenges. Topics include legal standards, human performance under stress, liability reduction through documentation, and decision-making frameworks for field application and training.  “One improper technique can change a county.”

Course Objectives
1. Discuss define the legal applications of use of force.
2. Identify and explain the legal statutes governing use of force.
3. Discuss the three components of Graham v. Connor (490 U.S. 386, 397) and their application to use-of-force situations.
4. Explain the legal standards for applying non-deadly force to achieve physical control and restraint.
5. Analyze Kingsley v. Hendrickson (576 U.S. 389, 2015) and its seven objective considerations regarding use of force.
6. Define the “objective reasonableness” standard and interpret its application in Tennessee v. Garner (471 U.S. 1, 11).
7. Describe the psycho-physiological dynamics of violent encounters and their impact on close-quarters engagements.
8. Discuss and identify Myths vs. facts in use of force assessments
9. Analyze use-of-force incidents by examining the quality, frequency, and timeliness of force application.
10. Discuss risk management strategies for physical engagements to ensure safety, efficiency, and accountability.
11. Implement early intervention tracking systems for identifying patterns and practices in use-of-force incidents.
12. Learn to quantify force mitigation tactics and de-escalation efforts to identify patterns of proficiency.
13. Develop effective response strategies for special populations, including individuals with mental illness, disabilities, or other unique needs.
14. Identify and apply the five key steps to reviewing use-of-force incidents.
15. Analyze how inaccurate policies are incorporated into case law and discuss strategies to prevent such occurrences.
16. Understand how to avoid incidents similar to Eric Garner or George Floyd through use of force analysis to identify contextual needs.
17. Evaluate the steps necessary to identify foreseeable incidents and mitigate risks before they occur.
18. Define and categorize sixteen key terms related to police use of force to ensure clarity and consistency in reporting and training.
19. Discuss the human performance factors that impact decision-making and actions under high-stress encounters.
20. Learn what to track in police use-of-force reports to ensure accuracy and actionable insights.
21. Learn the anatomy of a police takedown and grounding techniques for investigative purposes.
22. Debunk myths surrounding prone restraint and sudden in-custody deaths and explore evidence-based strategies to prevent them.
23. Develop coordination and effective engagement strategies for multiple-officer encounters.
24. Recognize the importance of training measurements and performance evaluations, emphasizing the principle: “You can’t manage what you don’t measure.”
25. Address the challenges and best practices for video recording in use-of-force situations, including its role in reporting and investigations.
26. Gain actionable insights on the tracking, trending, and analysis of use-of-force incidents to improve accountability and performance.
27. Plus more.

REGISTER HERE

LOCATION of TRAINING:
Northern Virginia Criminal Justice Training Academy
45299 Research Place
Ashburn VA 20147

Your lectures and training sessions have evolved over the years to now include a totality of law enforcement experiences in actual physical confrontations at the street level where Human Dynamics, Psychomotor Skills, and Physiology Factors are involved in decision-making for our law enforcement officers, and gives us a better understanding on WHY? law enforcement officers engage in physical force.

Many times, I have to attest to my training in front of judges to qualify as an expert-witness in criminal litigation against law enforcement officers, where government attorneys attempt to get me disqualified. Just recently, a Federal District Court judge in Washington DC questioned me on my expertise and training I received, I immediately through your name out to the judge and continued to explain your training, knowledge and expertise in this field. That your training instruction has developed over the years to be more inclusive dealing with physical confrontations of law enforcement officers, as well as the human factors we go through in physical confrontations. The judge was impressed, and I did get qualified as an expert-witness.

Trevor R. Hewick – Retired MPDC Detective Grade