Brian O'Donnell
Fredericksburg, VA 22401
Brian O’Donnell had a tremendous career in law enforcement inclusive of extensive operational, investigative, leadership and training experiences. Utilizing his unique blend of practical knowledge and academic acumen, Mr. O’Donnell has testified in multiple local, state and federal court proceedings to include as an expert witness in Virginia. He worked as a front line officer in high-crime neighborhoods, teamed with a regional narcotics task force, and was simultaneously assigned to the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF), during which time he led and assisted in multiple complex investigations involving criminal enterprises, and he was the primary supervisor responsible for analyzing use of force events within the department. Mr. O’Donnell’s breadth of experience in law enforcement and specifically in use of force and police practices and procedures are matched by very few in the industry.
Having led or participated in numerous drug investigations, Mr. O’Donnell has considerable experience in developing and utilizing confidential informants and was a task force and departmental resource for search warrants and 4th Amendment issues encountered by officers and detectives. He also commanded or held command positions in multiple large-scale crowd management/crowd control events in Charlottesville, to include celebratory activities related to the University of Virginia’s (UVA) appearance in the 2019 NCAA Final 4 and NCAA Championship Games.
As a certified Commonwealth of Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services instructor for over twenty years, Mr. O’Donnell has been responsible for researching, developing, and delivering a multitude of courses to thousands of individuals including Federal, State, and local law enforcement members as well as to private and public employees and students. Using his broad background and real-world experiences and observations, Mr. O’Donnell helped create a credited women’s self-defense course that is currently taught at UVA. He has received advanced training in applying human dynamics to the often complicated, confusing, and controversial uses of force by police. He is certified in Enhanced Force Investigations through Critical Incident Review, which applies science, evidence-based methods, and cognitive interviews to use of force events, and holds the Advanced Specialist designation through the Force Science Institute.
Mr. O’Donnell has been a guest lecturer and speaker at the UVA Law School Prosecution Clinic, the Gender Violence and Sociology of Violence undergraduate courses at UVA, the 2019 Force Science Conference, and was chosen as the Department representative to speak at the Virginia General Assembly (House and Senate) to promote legislation desired after the Unite the Right rally of August 12, 2017. He is co-owner of O’Donnell & Pittman, LLC/Blue Matters, a company that provides private security and investigative services as well as advanced training to both law-enforcement and civilians.
AREAS OF EXPERTISE
Use of Force: to Include Less Lethal/Less than Lethal, Excessive and Deadly Force, Reasonableness of Force, and Use of TASER
Law Enforcement: Firearms Training, Operational Planning, Police Practices and Procedures, Self Defense, and Tactical Training including Firearms
Investigations: Narcotic Investigations
- 1983 Litigation
- Deadly/Excessive Force
- Drug Enforcement
- Gangs
- Informants
- Jails & Prisons
- Law Enforcement
- Police Procedures
- RICO/Racketeering
- Workplace Violence
- Q: Please list your professional accreditations, degrees, licenses, and certificates granted:
- A: Liberty University, Lynchburg, VA
● Master of Science in Criminal Justice, 2020 (4.0 GPA), Graduated with High Distinction
University of Virginia National Criminal Justice Command College
● Graduate Certificate, 2016 (15 credit hours, 4.0 GPA)
Northwestern University, Evanston, IL
● Bachelor of Arts in Economics, 1989
- Q: Please list any teaching or speaking experience you have had, including subject matter:
- A: Adjunct Professor, Piedmont Virginia Community College, Charlottesville, VA
Fall 2022: Survey of Criminal Justice
Central Shenandoah Criminal Justice Training Center, Weirs Cave, VA
Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services General, Firearms, and Defensive Tactics Instructor
SPARTAN Post Academy Training, Albemarle County Police Department, Albemarle, VA
Ground fighting for Law Enforcement
Founding partner and creator of the “R.E.A.L. Self-Defense for Women” Program, a part of the Women’s Self Defense Course taught at the University of Virginia. Helped teach this curriculum for the past six years.
Please reach out to mstephens@eaglesecuritygroup.com to request a copy of Mr. O'Donnell's CV for a complete list of training he has received and provided along with additional details of his decades of experience in law enforcement. - Q: For what area(s) of expertise have you been retained as an expert?
- A: Use of Force; Use of Force Analysis for Reasonableness and Compliance with Agency Policy; Police Practices and Procedures; Narcotics Investigations; Impacts of Stress on Decision-Making.
- Q: On how many occasions have you testified as an expert in court or before an arbitrator?
- A: Mr. O'Donnell has testified multiple times as an expert witness in addition to testifying on hundreds of occasions in his capacity as a sworn member of the Charlottesville, Virginia Police Department before State Magistrates, Federal magistrate Judge, State Grand Juries, Federal Grand Juries, and disciplinary grievance panel: or in General District Courts, Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court, State Circuit Courts, and Federal Court. Testified during probable cause hearings, suppression hearings, and trials. He is very comfortable on the stand and comes across very well to members of the jury.
- Q: What services do you offer? (E.g.: consulting, testing, reports, site inspections etc.)
- A: Mr. O'Donnell currently serves as a law enforcement consultant and provides case consultation, civil and criminal litigation support, investigative support, and expert witness testimony in the areas of: Use of Force; Use of Force Analysis for Reasonableness and Compliance with Agency Policy; Law Enforcement: Firearms Training, Operational Planning, Police Practices and Procedures, Self Defense, and Tactical Training including Firearms; and Narcotics Investigations/Use of Informants.
- Q: What is your hourly rate to consult with an attorney?
- A: Please reach out to our Case Manager, Merritt Stephens, at 540-642-1611 or at mstephens@eaglesecuritygroup.com to set up a complimentary consultation call and to obtain a CV and our fee schedule.
Alternatively, you are invited to complete an intake form with details about your case. Please visit our website: https://www.eaglesecuritygroup.com/expert-witness
Available Upon Request