Marcus Sprague
Nashville, TN 37211
Marcus has over 25 years of law enforcement experience in a wide variety of assignments, including over a decade with the SWAT team, where he served as an operator, sniper, team leader, and commander. He also served as a supervisor on his mobile field force team. Marcus worked various assignments, including uniformed crime suppression, homicide, property crimes, narcotics, and an auto theft task force.
Marcus served as a police officer in a city of 200,000 people in the north bay of California. He currently serves as the Executive Director of the California Association of Tactical Officers and was an original plank holder of CATO's Strategic Leadership Program. Prior to that position, Marcus served as the Vice President. He currently serves as the Conference Director and member of the training cadre, where he developed the curriculum and teaches Critical Incident Leadership for supervisors, SWAT Team Leaders, SWAT Commanders, Demonstration Response, and Tactical Strategies for middle management. He was fortunate to be part of the instructor cadre for tactical science. He has helped develop the curriculum for the Rocky Mountain Tactical Association and the Ohio Tactical Officers Association.
Marcus has served on the curriculum development team for California POST Supervisor School and the California POST SWAT guidelines. He has also taught at the California POST Supervisor and Management schools.
Over the past four years, Marcus has provided consulting and expert witness services to several large metropolitan agencies regarding de-escalation, body-worn cameras, tactical operations, officer-involved shootings, use of force, crowd control, chemical agents, and less lethal methods. He also has experience working with agencies under federal consent decrees. Marcus is available nationally and works with plaintiff, defendant, and criminal court clients in state and federal court.
Marcus holds a Master of Science degree in Law Enforcement and Public Safety and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration.
- Crowd Control
- Deadly/Excessive Force
- Law Enforcement
- Police Procedures
- School Security
- Security Management
- Special Event Security
- Surveillance
- Workplace Violence
- Q: Please list your professional accreditations, degrees, licenses, and certificates granted:
- A: Master of Science - University of San Diego- Law Enforcement Public Safety Leadership
Bachelor of Science - California Coast University- Business Administration
California POST Supervisor Certificate
California POST Middle Management Certificate
- Q: Please list your affiliations or memberships in any professional and/or industry organizations:
- A: Member, California Association of Tactical Officers (CATO)
Member, National Tactical Officers Association (NTOA)
Member, Rocky Mountain Tactical Officers Association
Member, Ohio Tactical Officers Association
Member, International Association of Chiefs of Police
Member, American Society of Evidence Based Policing
Member, California Association of Narcotics Officers
Member, International Association of Emergency Managers
- Q: Please list any teaching or speaking experience you have had, including subject matter:
- A: Instructor for the California Association of Tactical Officers (CATO) in the following:
SWAT Team Leader
SWAT Team Commander
Crowd Control
Critical Incident Leadership for Supervisors
Active Shooter Leadership
Crisis Decision Making
De-escalation
Use of Force/Deadly Force
Tactical Science
Presentations:
I have taught tactics/strategy, critical incident response, and other tactical-related topics in Colorado, Ohio, Michigan, and California.
I have taught tactical strategies for middle management at POST Management School and in Colorado.
Developed Critical Incident Management curriculum adopted by POST for Supervisor School.
I have taught leadership, incident command, and critical incident management to command-level executives and line-level supervisors throughout California, Colorado, Michigan, Ohio, Oregon, and Washington.
Ohio Tactical Operations and Public Safety Conference - 2024 (Critical Incident Leadership & Response to Civil Disorders
North American Active Assailant Conference - 2024-Tactical Strategies for tactical teams-the missing part of de-escalation
CATO Conference 2024-Panel Discussion-Crisis Entry Decision Making
CATO Conference 2019-2024 Conference Coordinator, Master of Ceremonies
CATO Conference 2016- Featured Presenter Surviving the Microscope- How can we prepare to defend ourselves, our teams, and our agencies.
- Q: Have any of your accreditations ever been investigated, suspended or removed? (if yes, explain)
- A: no
- Q: On how many occasions have you been retained as an expert?
- A: 5
- Q: For what area(s) of expertise have you been retained as an expert?
- A: Use of force, Use of Deadly Force, Crowd Control, Less Lethal, Tactical Team response, Active Shooter Response. Have consulted on multiple other areas of expertise.
- Q: In what percentage of your cases were you retained by the plaintiff?
- A: None- However open to working with plaintiffs.
- Q: In what percentage of your cases were you retained by the defendant?
- A: 100% will work with both plaintiffs and defendants.
- Q: On how many occasions have you had your deposition taken?
- A: 5
- Q: When was the last time you had your deposition taken?
- A: 2024
- Q: On how many occasions have you been qualified by a court to give expert testimony?
- A: 3
- Q: On how many occasions have you testified as an expert in court or before an arbitrator?
- A: 8
- Q: For how many years have you worked with the legal industry as an expert?
- A: 3
- Q: What services do you offer? (E.g.: consulting, testing, reports, site inspections etc.)
- A: Consulting, expert witness, expert reports, policy, procedure, and manual evaluations.
- Q: What is your hourly rate to consult with an attorney?
- A: Original Consultation -No Charge
There is no charge for the consultation and initial assessment for the first 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, the standard case review and preparation fee will be applied.
- Q: What is your hourly rate to review documents?
- A: Case Review and Preparation--$275.00 per hour
This hourly fee applies to all activities associated with case review, research, and preparation. This would include witness interviews, site surveys, client meetings, and other activities necessary to prepare for courtroom presentations.
Case Presentation-$350.00 per hour
This hourly fee would apply to preparations for and/or written responses or reports for interrogatories, depositions, affidavits, opinions, reports, statements, hearings, and court appearances.
- Q: What is your hourly rate to provide deposition testimony?
- A: Deposition/Trial Testimony-$1400 for half day/$2800.00 for full day ($350 per hour)
This fee would apply to courtroom and deposition testimony.
- Q: What is your hourly rate to provide testimony at trial?
- A: Deposition/Trial Testimony- $1400 for half day/$2800.00 for full day ($350 per hour)
This fee would apply to courtroom and deposition testimony.
- Q: Please list any fees other than those stated above (E.g.: travel expenses, copy fees, etc.)
- A: Travel $55.50 per hour
Travel-related expenses, including tickets, fuel, lodging, parking, etc., will be billed at cost. Vehicle miles will be billed at the current IRS mileage rate. Meals will be billed at the current per diem rate according to the U.S. General Services Administration. Actual travel time will be billed as above. Non-activity days away from home will be billed at $1,000.00 per day.
Available Upon Request