Thank
you for visiting our web site. Michael Brasfield and Associates is
an expert witness services
and consulting company, providing
expert court witnesses,
consultants and litigation
support specialists to law firms, private-practice
attorneys, insurance professionals, non-profits, governmental
entities, and other organizations. Our professional and experienced
associates are highly qualified in a number of areas, including
training and organizational studies and reviews. Please take a
moment to examine their backgrounds through the links below.
Michael Brasfield served as the Chief of Police
for the Fort Lauderdale, Florida Police Department for 6 years.
Prior to that he served for 26 years with the
Seattle Police Department through the ranks - from police
officer, detective, sergeant, lieutenant, captain, major, and
then retired as an assistant chief. Mr. Brasfield was elected as Sheriff of Jefferson County,
Washington in 2003. He was overwhelmingly re-elected to that
position by an 80% majority in the November 2006 general
election. Mr. Brasfield retired from active law enforcement in
2009.
In addition to his prior law
enforcement management career, Michael Brasfield has been active
as a consultant and expert in public safety and police
procedures, policy development, evaluation and training since
1986. He specializes in police legal issues. His clients have
included federal, state, and municipal governments, private
non-profit foundations, corporations, educational institutions,
and attorneys.
He holds a B.A. degree from the
University of Washington, and is a graduate of the Senior
Management Institute for Police in Washington, D.C.
Leo Poort worked for 32 years as the principal Police Legal Advisor
for the City of Seattle. He was responsible for day to day
strategic advice and training given to 1200 sworn officers of
the Seattle Police Department. Leo counseled, instructed and
advised seven (7) different chiefs of police and hundreds of
senior staff members, thousands of sworn and civilian managers
and countless officers in 32 years regarding criminal law and
constitutional procedures, first amendment protections,
personnel law. He is an expert in laws affecting the collection
of intelligence, public disclosure of sensitive police and
criminal history records, domestic violence arrests and
mandatory reporting. He is an expert in traffic laws, laws
affecting property forfeiture, narcotics enforcement,
confidential informants, police shootings and inquests, and
personal injury liability. Most recently, Leo became an expert
in laws that affect demonstration management (WTO) and emergency
preparedness.
Recently Leo administered, investigated and screened cases
for the Criminal Justice Training Commission under Washington’s
Police Officer Certification Program to revoke the certification
of police officers (statewide) who were terminated by local
agencies for disqualifying conduct as defined by WA State
Statutes.
Early in his career, Leo served for 3 years as Assistant
City Attorney with the City of Bellevue, WA and was Bellevue’s
first Police Legal Advisor.
Leo is a 1973 graduate of Tulane University with a Juris
Doctorate in Law. He was admitted to the Washington State Bar in
1973 and has been a licensed member of the Bar for over 36
years. Leo Poort holds a B.A. degree from Michigan State
University in English.
Dennis Cowan is a
former manager in Arthur Andersen’s Business Fraud Risk Services
practice in Los Angeles. He is a security professional with over 30
years law enforcement experience and some 20 years in the field of
health care fraud. He also has experience in private security and
contract guard management as the former owner/operator of a security
guard service and licensed Private Investigator. Dennis has
conducted a wide array of complex fraud investigations and developed
a state-wide training program for law enforcement personnel in the
detection and investigation of health care fraud.
He directed California’s largest office of the Bureau of Medi-Cal
Fraud when they received the U. S. Health & Human Services -
Inspector General’s “Outstanding Achievement Award”, presented
for success in the investigation and prosecution of Durable
Medical Equipment suppliers. This award for excellence
also recognized their efforts in achieving $10 million in asset
seizures/forfeitures.
Mr. Cowan
graduated from the University of Phoenix with a degree in Business
Administration. Prior to joining Arthur Andersen he was the
Investigator In-Charge for the California Attorney General’s Bureau
of Medi-Cal Fraud. He is a past member of the American Society for
Industrial Security, International Police Association, Southern
California Fraud Association and a Certified Fraud Examiner.
The incorporated firm has been serving
private sector and local, state, and federal clients for over 25
years. Our principal associate was a part of the
team that provided the first nationwide
assessment of police and security services for public housing
authorities. Part of the work included a model contract for
public housing authorities to utilize in securing local government
participation in police and security. It included public
housing police services in the cities of Baltimore, Boston,
Cleveland, Memphis, Oxnard, and Seattle.
Each expert has a national reputation
with impeccable credentials in specific substantive areas. They
work as independent contractors. However, when the issues in a
particular case warrant working together in teams, our experts can
work cooperatively to provide outstanding assistance. Their
network of other professional associates provide quick access to
other specialists as needed.
We invite you to explore our site and
review the in-depth information on our associates and their
activities.
