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Meet Our Team

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D.J. Van Meter Ph.D.

Principal of Van Meter and Associates, Inc.
Public safety forces training and management consulting organization since 1982.

Human Performance Theorist

  • Author: Evaluating Dysfunctional Police Performance: A Zero-Based Approach. Charles Thomas Publishing.
  • Specialization: Organizational Development and Method of Operational Design.
  • Focus: Public Safety Forces.

Work Experience

  • Two years–Soldier U.S. Army
  • 15 years sworn peace officer
  • Two years–Labor Relations Training and Development–Pacific Gas and Electric, California 41 years of nationwide police and public safety forces training and consulting

Academic Achievements

The Ohio State University

  • Doctor of Philosophy–Human Performance Technology and Organizational Design–The Graduate School
  • Master of Labor and Human Resources–College of Business
  • Recipient of the 1995 The Ohio State University's College of Business Pace-Setter's Award
  • Bachelor of Science–Behavioral Science, College of Arts and Sciences

Lorain County Community College

  • Associate of Science–Police Science

Northwest University Traffic Institute

  • Diploma–Nine-Month Police Management Program
John Hall

Associate/John Hall’s  experience in law enforcement has been filled with professionalism and strong leadership skills. He has managed Patrol Operations and was adept at bringing critical incidents to a successful resolution. John has served as a Certified Police Instructor assigned to a police academy for recruitment training in Arrest, Search and Seizure. John has been recognized throughout his career for initiating, building, and supporting departmental initiatives including the creation of a Special Operations Unit & Physical Fitness Evaluations. He received the honor of being “Officer of the Year in 2007.” John was part of the US Customs task force responsible for the investigation of importation of narcotics in the US. He also investigated the influence of organized crime in NY and NJ as it relates to criminal offenses, corruption, and unfair labor practices. John also has a B.A. in Criminal Justice from Kean College, New Jersey.

Brian LaBarre

Associate/Brian LaBarre  is a NJ Police Training Commission Certified Instructor, active in instructing a wide range of police training topics.  He is currently a Sergeant with a major New Jersey Police Department and instructs the Basic Recruit Class at a major New Jersey Training Academy on Report Writing. He has also assisted in teaching the Methods of Instruction course required to be taken by officers seeking to become certified instructors. Brian has developed several blocks of instruction for use in his own department’s training program. Prior to being promoted into his current role, Brian was assigned as a Detective, specializing in fraud and financial crimes investigations. Brian attend the University of Maryland and attained his Bachelor of Arts from the College of St. Elizabeth, where he now serves as a voluntary mentor to students majoring in the Justice Studies track.

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John Popielarczyk Ret. Chief /Associate has spent twenty-six years working in law enforcement. He has served in numerous capacities ranging from Field Training Officer to the Administrative Captain and retired as Chief of the department. While serving as the Administrative Captain, he developed, implemented, and evaluated policies and procedures relating to employee performance and discipline, and has worked extensively with Van Meter & Associates during that process. He has handled numerous internal investigations involving cases of employee discipline and termination, use of Last Chance Agreements, Performance Improvement Plans and in preparing cases for the discipline process, including arbitration.