WI – Use of Force: Leadership, Decision Making and Review

City of Madison PD WI
Hosts
Use of Force: Leadership, Decision Making and Review
For Law Enforcement and Correctional Professionals
Dec. 9-10, 2025   0830 – 1630 Hours

Course Synopsis:

In today’s high-stakes environment, every use of force incident is subject to intense scrutiny—often reviewed frame by frame and judged by individuals with little or no training in the realities of force application. This intense public and legal examination has contributed to growing mistrust and the spread of misinformation. The accurate analysis, investigation, and instruction surrounding use of force incidents are now more complex—and critical—than ever.

Presented by Lt. Kevin Dillon (ret), a nationally recognized police practices expert, trainer and speaker. Recently was selected as a keynote speaker for the FBI National Academy Conference  and presenter at the IACP Legal Officers Spring Conference. This comprehensive 2-day training course is specifically designed for law enforcement and correctional leaders, including internal affairs investigators, reviewing authorities, and trainers responsible for instructing use of force.

Do you have any updated, specialized training in use of force analysis?

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.

ONLY $495.00
Course Flier
REGISTER HERE

LOCATION of TRAINING:
Madison Police Training Center
5702 Femrite Dr. – Madison, WI  53718
Host Contact- Crystal Meyer -Training Coordinator
cmeyer3@cityofmadison.com

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