Spencer Fomby
Austin, TX 78703
Captain (Ret.) Spencer Fomby is the former director of the Boise Police Department Training, Education, and Development Division. He was previously employed by the Berkeley Police Department for 20 years. He has held primary assignments in patrol, narcotics, and crime prevention. He was assigned to SWAT for 18 years as an entry team member, team leader, and tactical commander.
Captain (Ret.) Fomby has been a certified instructor in the following disciplines: firearms (pistol, shotgun, and carbine), weaponless defense, impact weapons, Peacekeeper RCB, Gracie Survival Tactics Level 1, active shooter response, ALICE, chemical agents, NFDD, sting balls, 40 mm launcher, FN 303, shoot house and tactical de-escalation. He has created two CA POST approved de-escalation courses. He was also a tactical instructor for the National Tactical Officers Association (NTOA), where he taught Police Counter Ambush and Advanced Response Police Officer (ARPO). Captain (Ret.) Fomby was the lead Berkeley Police Department public order instructor. He was responsible for equipment selection, tactical training, less-lethal weapon selection, chemical agent selection and deployment, and mission planning.
Captain (Ret.) Fomby has been recognized as a subject matter expert in police tactics and works on several national projects. He is the section chair for the National Tactical Officers Association Public Order Section. He coordinated the creation of the NTOA Public Order Response and Operation Standards, the NTOA Public Order Basic Command Certification Course, and the NTOA Public Order Grenadier Workshop. He is assigned to a National Institute of Justice Special Technical Committee on public order equipment. He is an SME in public order equipment and tactics for DHS First Responder Resource Group. He is an SME in active shooter response for the International Association of Chiefs of Police Collaborative Reform Initiative Technical Assistance Center (CRI-TAC). He is the author of Public Order Policing: A Professional's Guide to International Theories, Case Studies, and Best Practices: Use of Force. (2024)
Captain (Ret.) Fomby was the 2011 Berkeley Police Department Officer of the Year. He was the team leader of the 2013 Urban Shield SWAT Competition first place team. He was also a Visiting Fellow in Police Science at the University of Derby, U.K. Captain (Ret.) Fomby earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Administration of Justice from Howard University. Captain (Ret.) Fomby works as a consultant and expert witness focused on police practices, use of force, officer-involved shootings, SWAT, and public order.
- Crowd Control
- Deadly/Excessive Force
- Inadequate/Negligent Security
- Law Enforcement
- Police Procedures
- School Security
- Special Event Security
- Terrorism
- Violent Crimes
- Workplace Violence
- Q: Please list your professional accreditations, degrees, licenses, and certificates granted:
- A: B.A. Administration of Justice, Howard University
NTOA Less-lethal Instructor, 2024
Force Science Realistic De-escalation Instructor, 2022
FEMA Active Shooter Incident Management, 2022
ALERRT Level 1 Instructor, 2022
CATO Chemical Agent Instructor, 2020
FN 303 Instructor/Armorer, 2018
ALICE Instructor, 2018
CTS Less-lethal instructor, 2018
CTS Sting ball Instructor, 2017
CTS Chemical Agent Instructor, 2017
CTS Distraction Device Instructor, 2017
Crisis Intervention Team (CIT), 2017
Gracie Survival Tactics Level 1 Instructor, 2015
Peacekeeper Baton Instructor, 2015
Force Science Analyst Certification, 2015
NTOA Shoot house Instructor, 2013
Simunition Scenario Instructor, 2012
NTOA Active Shooter Instructor, 2011
CA POST Long Rifle Instructor, 2011
CA POST Firearms Instructor, 2010
CA POST Impact Weapons Instructor, 2009
CA POST Defensive Tactics Instructor, 2007 - Q: Please list your affiliations or memberships in any professional and/or industry organizations:
- A: National Tactical Officers Association
California Association of Tactical Officers
Intl. Law Enforcement Educators and Trainers Assoc.
Police Executive Research Forum
International Association of Chiefs of Police - Q: Please list any teaching or speaking experience you have had, including subject matter:
- A: Public Order, active shooter, patrol tactics, counter-ambush, defensive tactics, impact weapons, less-lethal weapons, sting balls, flash bangs, chemical agents, firearms, SWAT, and de-escalation.
MEDIA AND PUBLIC RELATIONS. Recent presentations on police tactics and use of force:
•NTOA Webinar- Less Lethal Munitions in Crowd Control Operations, 2024
• Western States Public Order Conference- Public Order Use of Force, 2023
•Daigle Law Group First Amendment Summit- Public Order Response Standards, 2022, 2023, 2024
• National Tactical Officers Association Virtual Conference- Public Order Best Practices, 2022
• Daigle Use of Force Summit- Public Order Best Practices with NTOA Standards, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
• National Tactical Officers Association Annual Conference- Public Order, 2018-2023
• NTOA Panel Discussion- Less Lethal Munitions in Crowd Control Operations, 2021
• National Asian Peace Officers Association Conference- Public Order Policing Best Practices, 2021
• Renne Public Law Group Public Safety Reform and Innovation Webinar Series, 2021
• Daigle Law Group First Amendment Summit- Modern Crowd Control Issues, 2021
• Association of California School Administrators Annual Conference- Active Shooter, 2019
• National Alliance for Mental Illness Conference- Tactical De-escalation 2018 - 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: 116
- Q: For what area(s) of expertise have you been retained as an expert?
- A: Use of force, officer-involved shooting, public order, SWAT, less-lethal weapons, crowd control, public order, extremism
- Q: In what percentage of your cases were you retained by the plaintiff?
- A: 40%, I am open to working with plaintiffs and prosecutors.
- Q: In what percentage of your cases were you retained by the defendant?
- A: 60%
- Q: On how many occasions have you had your deposition taken?
- A: 10
- Q: When was the last time you had your deposition taken?
- A: November 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: 4
- Q: For how many years have you worked with the legal industry as an expert?
- A: 7
- Q: What services do you offer? (E.g.: consulting, testing, reports, site inspections etc.)
- A: consulting, expert witness, expert reports, policy evaluations, employee evaluations, incident review
- Q: What is your hourly rate to consult with an attorney?
- A: $350.00
- Q: What is your hourly rate to review documents?
- A: $350.00
- Q: What is your hourly rate to provide deposition testimony?
- A: $500.00
- Q: What is your hourly rate to provide testimony at trial?
- A: $3500 flat rate
Available Upon Request