Where Human Performance Science, Human Factors, Police Practices, Use-of-Force Analysis, Case Merit Analysis, and Litigation Risk Evaluation Converge.
Expert Witness | Human Performance Specialist | Former Police Lieutenant
3808 Surrey Hill Place, Upper Arlington, Ohio 43220
1.800.331.8025
www.vmanet.com
Dr. Van Meter is a Human Performance and Human Factors specialist with more than four decades of experience in law enforcement, police training, organizational performance, human behavior, and use-of-force evaluation.
His expertise combines advanced academic study in psychology, human performance theory, labor and human resources, and police science with extensive practical experience as a sworn law enforcement officer, police supervisor, use-of-force instructor, consultant, trainer, and expert witness.
Dr. Van Meter served fifteen years as a sworn law enforcement officer, attaining the rank of Lieutenant. He additionally spent fifteen years conducting hands-on law enforcement training involving officer safety, force decision-making, arrest and control procedures, operational performance, and use-of-force practices.
For over forty-four years he has provided consulting, training, evaluation, performance analysis, and expert witness services involving police conduct, police decision-making, use of force, deadly force, human performance under stress, organizational behavior, and training effectiveness.
Dr. Van Meter has been qualified and accepted as an expert witness and has rendered opinions involving police practices, officer performance, human factors, threat perception, decision-making processes, training adequacy, and use-of-force incidents.
Police Practices
Use of Force and Deadly Force
Human Factors and Human Performance
Training and Organizational Performance
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Human Performance Technology, The Ohio State University College of Education and Human Ecology
Master's Degree
Master of Labor and Human Resources, The Ohio State University Fisher College of Business
Recipient of the “Pace Setters” Award
Bachelor of Science
Human Behavior (Psychology), The Ohio State University College of Arts and Sciences
Associate Degree
Police Science, Lorain County Community College
Professional Diploma
Graduate, Northwestern University Traffic Institute, School of Police Staff and Command, nine-month police management program
Sworn Law Enforcement Officer
15 Years
Progressive service in law enforcement culminating in the rank of Lieutenant.
Professional responsibilities included:
Law Enforcement Instructor
15 Years
Provided practical and classroom instruction involving:
Human Performance and Law Enforcement Consultant
44 Years
Provided consulting and analytical services involving:
Qualified and accepted as an expert witness in matters involving:
Court qualifications and case listings available upon request.
Dr. Van Meter provides independent early case assessment, case merit analysis, and litigation-risk evaluation in matters involving police practices, use of force, deadly force, officer decision-making, threat perception, training, supervision, and human factors. He assists prosecutors, defense counsel, plaintiff counsel, and municipal or agency counsel in evaluating whether the facts, evidence, professional standards, and performance issues support or weaken a proposed claim, charge, defense, or litigation position.
His analysis may identify case strengths, weaknesses, evidentiary gaps, professional-practice concerns, training or supervision issues, human-performance considerations, and areas requiring further investigation before counsel proceeds with prosecution, defense, settlement negotiation, or trial preparation. He does not serve as an advocate for either side; his role is to provide objective, fact-based professional analysis where the evidence supports a reliable opinion.
Research and applied analysis involving:
Master's Thesis
Focused on the strengths and limitations of traditional performance evaluation processes.
Doctoral Dissertation
On-the-Job Performance Evaluations
Dr. Van Meter's opinions are based upon the application of established principles of human performance, human factors, law enforcement practices, training, supervision, and organizational behavior to the facts of each case. Opinions are formed through objective analysis of evidence, professional experience, training standards, and accepted princples of human behavior and performance.