Mike Nelson

Use of Force Expert

Mike Nelson left the public sector of Law Enforcement in 2023. His final assignment held was the local director of the agency law enforcement academy. After serving the public for over 25 years Mike decided to join the private sector, starting, and operating a Private Investigation and Executive Protection agency.

Since 2001, he has been engaged as a police tactics and procedures expert in numerous use-of-force and other police procedures cases. While most of his work is for the defense of officers and other local agencies, he has also been engaged by plaintiffs, prosecutors, and defense in civil litigation and criminal cases.

Mike has been deemed an expert in state court, superior court and in federal court in accident reconstruction, and Use of Force and Vehicle pursuit tactics. He has written and updated policies according to current case laws and that best meet the standards for the protection of people’s rights.

Mike has worked in several capacities such as undercover detective, specializing in gangs, guns, and drug cases, accident reconstruction, DUI Task Force, Training Unit, Street Crimes Unit, and more.

In 2002, Mike became an accident reconstructionist having worked over 300 fatality cases over his career and over 2000 severe injury cases. He holds a State of Georgia Accident Reconstruction Specialist certification.

Mike also holds over 40 instructor certifications including Firearms, Defensive tactics, Precision Immobilization Technique (PIT) as well as Vehicle Pursuit Driver Training Instructor.

Mike is highly trained in Defensive tactics, including Krav Maga, Gracie Jiu Jit Su Survival Tactics Instructor, Tactical Take Down Instructor, along with being a TASER instructor.

While assigned to the Training Unit, he reviewed every use of force, and vehicle pursuit that occurred within the agency. He reviewed the tactics, to ensure they were reasonable, within policy and within the training standards. He taught hundreds of hours of courses involving the use of deadly and nondeadly force based upon reasonableness standard.
Mike specializes in risk management issues including policy, training, equipment, tactics, supervision, investigation, documentation, review processes, and criminal law and case law as it applies to police officers, focusing on reducing injury to the law enforcement officer along with the suspect.

Mikes extensive training and experience makes him well versed in applying what he knows to protect the rights of people and to hold people accountable for their actions when they are excessive. Investigating and documenting evidence does just that. The purpose of this is to make people feel safe and when law enforcement makes a mistake, and it is brought to their attention, it makes them better suited and equipped to interact with the public and handle Uses of Force correctly and what is reasonable.

He holds the Certified Force Analyst credential of the Force Science Institute

Mike is also a member of the International Law Enforcement Educators and Trainers Association (ILEETA).

In his off-time Mike enjoys playing Tennis, golf, pickleball and traveling with his girlfriend and German Shepherd.

Robert G.
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