Included in this blog post are the article, a link to a short peace ou!dcast, the explainer video, a concept explainer, and a case study format. Click here to listen to the Podcast Climbing to Rank- Or Rising to Rank Click here for the Leadership Perspective Course The Two Paths

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Click here: to listen to the Iron Sights Podcast Click here: To watch Video Interview Click here: The Enhanced Force Investigations Course from CIR

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Click here: EFI Certicication Course Article – Overview Introduction: Why Understanding the 4th Amendment Matters for Police Reports and Statements (Interviews) Police work often involves tough, fast decisions, especially in high-stress situations where force might be used. But what happens after? If someone claims the force was too much or

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Part 2 – Gathering and Verifying Video Evidence When investigating a critical incident like a use-of-force event, video evidence is a critical piece of the puzzle. However, as I’ve learned through years of forensic video analysis, the process of gathering and verifying this evidence requires careful attention to detail and

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Quick Explainer Video for Briefing Use Body-Worn Camera Etiquette: Professionalism Under the Lens Body-worn cameras are now an anchor of policing, offering a transparent record of critical incidents like use-of-force events. They can protect officers and the public by providing objective evidence, but they also capture every word, gesture, and

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Beyond the Frame – Part One – First Steps

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The term “generally accepted police practices” is often cited in legal proceedings to evaluate law enforcement actions, particularly in use of force incidents. However, experts Von Kliem, Jamie Borden, and Daniel King recently highlighted its frequent misuse, which can unfairly penalize officers and distort justice. This article, based on their

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Explainer Video Click here: Force Analysis – Video review and Examination Course Authored By Investigative Specialist TJ Lewis Illustrations from “Anatomy of a Critical Incident – Navigating Controversy”  As an Investigative Specialist, I have extensive experience related to the critical issue of body-worn camera (BWC) use in officer-involved incident investigations.

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Law enforcement is a calling that demands everything from those who answer it. Officers dedicate their lives to serving communities, often at the cost of their personal time, energy, and even identity. But what happens when the badge becomes all-consuming? In a heartfelt conversation, two seasoned law enforcement professionals, Jamie

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Critical Incident Review: Barnes v. Felix –  A Landmark Ruling, How it Affects the Need for Thorough Use-of-Force Investigations from a UOF Experts Perspective As a law enforcement use-of-force expert and investigative specialist, I evaluate police actions through the lens of Graham v. Connor (1989), the Supreme Court case that

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“Take a Step Back” Law enforcement in 2025 is a vastly different landscape than it was in the 1990s when officers like Daniel King and Jamie Borden began their careers. The rise of body cameras, public scrutiny, and evolving legal standards have transformed how officers operate and how their actions

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When a police officer uses force, the aftermath is rarely black-and-white. In a heated discussion, veteran investigators Jamie Borden and Danny King expose the messy reality of how “reasonableness” is judged in use-of-force cases—and why the system often screws over cops who did nothing wrong. The Problem: Hindsight Bias and

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By Danny King and Jamie Borden, Critical Incident Review, L.L.C. Cognitive Interview; Addressing the Challenges Officer-involved shootings (OIS) are among the most scrutinized events in law enforcement, requiring a delicate balance between thorough investigation, legal accountability, and respect for the officer’s rights as an American citizen. In a recent discussion,

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Danny and Jamie talk about the emotions that come from watching a police video.

The Hidden Dangers of Emotional Bias in Video Evidence Analysis Video evidence is a cornerstone of modern investigations, particularly in law enforcement cases involving use-of-force incidents. Its visual clarity seems to promise objectivity, but as Jamie Borden and Danny King discuss in a recent conversation, this clarity can be a

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Video cameras and Body cams are everywhere now. They’re supposed to give us a clear picture of what happens during police encounters. And sometimes, they do. But what if that picture isn’t so clear? What if the video is actually tricking you? That’s what we’re going to talk about. Video

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The Pitfalls of Video Evidence in Investigations Video evidence can be a powerful tool in investigations, offering a visual record of events that seems clear and conclusive. However, as Jamie Borden and Danny King discuss in a recent conversation, this apparent clarity can be deceptive. Misinterpreting video evidence can lead

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The draft of the Human Factors Check list is a living document. Please leave thoughts and ideas you have regarding the use of the Check-List for others to gain from all of the experience and application regarding the use of the tool. Get the checklist here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Qi9i1GUvc_Lahm1M-O6D_3CHurjv4R65/view?usp=sharing

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Use of Force; Policy Matters (pre and post-incident) : As a Use of Force instructor for the past several years, as well as an expert in human factors and an experienced video analyst, I have seen first-hand the critical differences between the intended purpose of a policy and how that

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Defining Consistency In An Inherently Inconsistent Profession. Articles generate thought, thoughts provoke discussions, discussions catalyzeimprovement. This commentary highlights some points from the article, “Pondering PastPractice: Why Consistency Is So Important in Decision-Making.” (Graham, 2021) linkedbelow. Focus of this article:I believe the core subject of the cited article is focused on

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How do we best extrapolate training from the video evidence of a critical incident?  Simply stated, when we review a video and we do not have all of the facts and data regarding why the behavior we see is unfolding, we “critique” the actions of those players in the video. 

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After reading Michael Abrashoff’s “Turning the worst ship in the Navy into the best” I was inspired to convert some of the concepts into applicable information for law enforcement. One of the core courses through Critical Incident Review is the “Leadership Perspective on Force Analysis” Course. In that curriculum we

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Cops are super-humans. They can override the inherent limitations of their minds and bodies because they’ve been trained to do so. They can move quicker, think faster and see, hear and remember more than any other category of human. In fact, it wouldn’t be right to measure their behavior and

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As an experienced investigator, a national investigations trainer and a court certified expert witness I have been directly involved in or analyzed and evaluated scores of use-of-force investigations. Not surprisingly, a dominant mantra I consistently notice investigators repeating is, “What happened?” That’s a critical question, of course, but if it

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Finding the Perfect Blend of Technicality and Specialized Knowledge For Your Agency ~ Shifting the focus from “what are you looking at?” to “what are you looking for?” ~ The Power of Video Review/Examination in Today’s Digital Age Video review has become an indispensable tool in law enforcement, enabling professionals

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Explainer Presentation Training Materials Article Click here: Force Investigations Course Lessons from the Killingly Incident: A Critical Review on Tactics and Trade-Offs By Jamie Borden/Danny King, of Critical Incident Review As someone who’s spent years training officers across all 50 states and diving deep into the human factors behind police

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A look at “Shared Cognition” as a concept and theory in Law Enforcement In a critical incident involving law enforcement, shared cognition refers to the collective mental processes and communication among officers involved in the incident. While shared cognition can enhance decision-making and coordination, it also has limitations that officers

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Part One of a Two Part  Series –  Understanding the nature of perceptual distortions and their potential impact on the appearance of an officer’s real-time judgment is crucial.  (https://rumble.com/v1eajya-body-cam-officer-involved-deadly-shooting-nash-fiske.-nov-4.-wisconsin.html) This article is based on the above-linked video and is a follow-up to the previous article published by CIR. Understanding the

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Part Two of the Two Part Series: The Totality of Facts and Circumstances from the Officers Perspective;  Investigation and Evaluation of Use-of-Force – considering attentional resources and the associated memory issues from an investigative perspective Investigating and evaluating Use-of-Force, considering attentional resources and the associated memory issues, and understanding how

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