About
Brian O’Donnell had a tremendous career in law enforcement inclusive of extensive operational, investigative, leadership and training experiences. Utilizing his unique blend of practical knowledge and academic acumen, Mr. O’Donnell has testified in multiple local, state and federal court proceedings to include as an expert witness in Virginia. He worked as a front line officer in high-crime neighborhoods, teamed with a regional narcotics task force, and was simultaneously assigned to the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF), during which time he led and assisted in multiple complex investigations involving criminal enterprises, and he was the primary supervisor responsible for analyzing use of force events within the department. Mr. O’Donnell’s breadth of experience in law enforcement and specifically in use of force and police practices and procedures are matched by very few in the industry.
Having led or participated in numerous drug investigations, Mr. O’Donnell has considerable experience in developing and utilizing confidential informants and was a task force and departmental resource for search warrants and 4th Amendment issues encountered by officers and detectives. He also commanded or held command positions in multiple large-scale crowd management/crowd control events in Charlottesville, to include celebratory activities related to the University of Virginia’s (UVA) appearance in the 2019 NCAA Final 4 and NCAA Championship Games.
As a certified Commonwealth of Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services instructor for over twenty years, Mr. O’Donnell has been responsible for researching, developing, and delivering a multitude of courses to thousands of individuals including Federal, State, and local law enforcement members as well as to private and public employees and students. Using his broad background and real-world experiences and observations, Mr. O’Donnell helped create a credited women’s self-defense course that is currently taught at UVA. He has received advanced training in applying human dynamics to the often complicated, confusing, and controversial uses of force by police. He is certified in Enhanced Force Investigations through Critical Incident Review, which applies science, evidence-based methods, and cognitive interviews to use of force events, and holds the Advanced Specialist designation through the Force Science Institute.
Mr. O’Donnell has been a guest lecturer and speaker at the UVA Law School Prosecution Clinic, the Gender Violence and Sociology of Violence undergraduate courses at UVA, the 2019 Force Science Conference, and was chosen as the Department representative to speak at the Virginia General Assembly (House and Senate) to promote legislation desired after the Unite the Right rally of August 12, 2017. He is co-owner of O’Donnell & Pittman, LLC/Blue Matters, a company that provides private security and investigative services as well as advanced training to both law-enforcement and civilians.
AREAS OF EXPERTISE
Use of Force: to Include Less Lethal/Less than Lethal, Excessive and Deadly Force, Reasonableness of Force, and Use of TASER
Law Enforcement: Firearms Training, Operational Planning, Police Practices and Procedures, Self Defense, and Tactical Training including Firearms
Investigations: Narcotic Investigations