Advisory Board
Chief Larry Gonzalez
Chief Larry Gonzalez is the Chief of Police for a large Southern California Police Department and a career law-enforcement professional with roughly three decades of service. Over the course of his tenure, he has held key operational and training assignments including Field Training Officer, gang investigations, and defensive tactics instruction, and rose through the department’s supervisory and executive ranks before being named Chief in 2020. As Chief, he leads a large, full-service municipal police department and brings deep experience in patrol operations, investigations, training, and department-wide leadership.
Law Enforcement Executive
Chief Jay Hart (Ret.)
Retired Chief Jay Hart served as Chief of Police for a medium-sized Southern California Police Department following a long and distinguished law-enforcement career spanning patrol, traffic and motor enforcement, training, supervision, and executive command. His assignments included Field Training Officer, academy drill instructor, watch commander, and division leadership roles, along with specialized collateral duties such as firearms training and SWAT. As Chief, he led the department through significant modernization and reform efforts focused on constitutional policing, accountability, and training excellence.
Former Police Chief & Executive Law Enforcement Leader
Corrections Executive & Jail Operations ExpertMitch Lucas
Mitch Lucas is a retired Assistant Sheriff with more than three decades of experience in law enforcement and jail operations, including senior command responsibility for one of the largest detention systems in the southeastern United States. He served as Chief Deputy and Jail Administrator, overseeing adult detention, juvenile detention, and courthouse operations, and later as Assistant Sheriff with executive responsibility for both patrol and custody functions. He is nationally recognized for his leadership in corrections administration and operational risk management.
Law Enforcement Defense & Civil Rights AttorneySam Hall
Sam Hall is an attorney whose practice focuses on defending law-enforcement officers, supervisors, and public agencies in civil-rights litigation, critical-incident response, and appellate matters. He regularly advises agencies on policy development, training, and risk management arising from real-world law-enforcement operations. His work emphasizes practical, defensible approaches to policing that align operational needs with constitutional and legal standards.
Use-of-Force & In-Custody Safety InstructorA. David Berman
Dave Berman is a law-enforcement professional and nationally recognized instructor specializing in defensive tactics, use-of-force, less-lethal munitions, and in-custody safety. His background includes sworn service, specialized tactical training, and senior leadership roles in law-enforcement training organizations. He brings extensive experience translating operational realities into effective training designed to reduce risk, improve performance, and enhance officer and detainee safety.
Corrections Researcher & Use-of-Force ExpertDr. Darrell Ross
Dr. Darrell Ross is professor and nationally known expert in corrections, use-of-force issues, and custodial risk management. In addition to his academic leadership, he brings direct corrections experience and has authored and co-authored numerous publications addressing force, restraint-related deaths, and jail operations. His work provides an evidence-based foundation for safer, more defensible correctional policies and practices.
Civil Liability & Law Enforcement Advisory AttorneyGregg Gunta
Gregg Gunta is a veteran attorney with decades of experience representing public agencies and law-enforcement professionals in civil-liability, use-of-force, and employment matters. His work focuses on the legal and operational decision-making that shapes law-enforcement risk, including supervision, policy development, and critical-incident response. He brings a practical, litigation-informed perspective to training and advisory roles.
Corrections Policy, Operations & Risk Management ExpertDr. Donald Leach
Dr. Don Leach is a nationally recognized corrections and jail-operations expert with decades of experience in detention leadership, consulting, and training. His work focuses on operational methodology, use-of-force in custodial settings, and in-custody safety, with an emphasis on reducing preventable harm and improving agency defensibility. He regularly consults with agencies on jail policy, procedures, training, and litigation support.