Joel A. Johnston, BA—Economics

Joel is a retired (2013) 28-year police veteran with a background in General Patrol, Foot Patrol, Crowd Control and Traffic Enforcement. He specialized in Use of Force research, design, development & training delivery, and Emergency Response (ERT) with the Vancouver Police Department. He served from 1990 – 1998 as the Use of Force Coordinator for the VPD – with a cadre of 28 control tactics instructors, he was responsible for all officer safety, arrest & control tactics, and use of force training for the Department.

He was promoted to Sergeant in 1998 and took over as operational Squad Leader of one of the Department’s four fulltime Emergency Response Team squads. He became the Training Coordinator for ERT in 2004 and the Acting Officer-in-Charge in 2005. He was seconded to the British Columbia Ministry of Public Safety & Solicitor General as the Provincial Use of Force and Municipal Emergency Response Teams Coordinator from 2005 - 2011. Joel is a highly-decorated police officer, having been awarded numerous Chief Constables’ Commendations, the 20-year Exemplary Police Service Medal, the City of Vancouver’s 125th Anniversary Police Service Medal, and the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal for Outstanding Service to Canada.

Originally from the Toronto area, Joel was a full-scholarship athlete at Simon Fraser University and has a BA in Economics from SFU. He was drafted by the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League in 1983. He also holds certificates from Penn State University in Less Lethal Weapons Technologies, and Minnesota State University’s – Force Science Institute – Use of Force Analyst Program. He is a graduate of the FBI Defensive Tactics Instructor School, the Los Angeles Police Department’s Force Investigation School, and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Advanced SWAT School. Joel holds a third degree black belt in traditional Shotokan karate and has a background in Shoot Wrestling, Pankration, Police Judo, CrossFit® Striking and TRX® Suspension Training.

Recognized as a Use of Force Subject Matter expert witness by the Courts across Canada, Joel is a multiple-published author, presenter to numerous national and international conferences, consultant, and certified Instructor in numerous defensive tactics systems, less lethal weapons and firearms systems. He has been a member of numerous Working Groups with the US (NIJ) National Institute of Justice (Tactical Operations, Excited Delirium Syndrome, Less-Lethal Technologies, etc.). He has been a member of numerous Canadian Police Research Center (CPRC) Working Groups (Vascular Neck Restraint, Conducted Energy Weapons, Excited Delirium Syndrome, etc.) He has been a member of numerous RCMP National Working Groups (Excited Delirium Syndrome, Conducted Energy Weapons, Patrol Carbine, Incident Management Intervention Model, Subject Behaviour-Officer Response Reporting, etc.).

Joel is a founding member of the Canadian Law Enforcement Forum (CLEF) – an advisory body to the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police (CACP) on use of force and related matters. He is a Canadian Director of the International Law Enforcement Forum on Minimal Force Options. He designed the Force Response Options Instructor-Trainer program for the Province of British Columbia and was a primary consultant for the Province of British Columbia’s Advanced Security Training program and Manual. He has presented and instructed officer safety and use of force-related subject matter internationally. Joel was a consultant to the Independent Use of Force Review of the Calgary Police Service (2017). He was a facilitator for the 2019 International Law Enforcement Forum on Minimal Force Options. He was published in the International Police Practices and Research Journal in November 2019.

Joel has been recognized as an expert witness in the areas of use of force, training, and emergency response in policing, corrections and security in the Courts across Canada, and has provided expert witness testimony and consultation in a wide variety of use of force and related areas for more than 25 years.

• Graduate – Simon Fraser University – BA Economics (1984)
• Graduate – Penn State University – Less Lethal Weapons Program (2008)
• Graduate– Minnesota State University – Force Science Institute (2008)
• Sergeant (retired 2013) – Vancouver Police Department – 28 year police veteran
• Recipient of the 2012 Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal for Outstanding Service to Canada
• Third Degree Black Belt (Sandan) – Japan Karate Association
• Province of British Columbia – Use of Force & ERT Coordinator (2005-2011)
• Board of Directors – International Law Enforcement Forum (ILEF) representing Canada
• Advisory Board Member – Canadian Tactical Officer’s Association
• Emergency Response Team Squad Leader, Training Coordinator and OIC (1998-2005)
• Court-certified Use of Force Subject-matter Expert
• Certified Defensive Tactics Instructor – Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
• Control Tactics INSTRUCTOR-TRAINER – Province of BC
• Certified PPCT Defensive Tactics INSTRUCTOR-TRAINER - 25 years
• Certified Modern Warrior Defensive Tactics Instructor
• Certified Less Lethal Weapons Instructor (NTOA)
• Certified Advanced TASER Instructor – TASER® International
• Certified BC Provincial Firearms Instructor
• Certified Sub-machine Gun Instructor – Singleton International
• Certified Critical Incident Commander
• Certified Verbal Judo Instructor
• Certified PPCT Violent Patient Management INSTRUCTOR-TRAINER - 25 years
• BEST DEFENSE Women’s Assault Prevention INSTRUCTOR-TRAINER
• Certified Sexual Harassment, Assault & Rape Prevention (SHARP) INSTRUCTOR-TRAINER
• Instructor to the International Association of Women Police (IAWP)
• Instructor to the Commission for Accreditation of Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA)
• 5 time Instructor to the American Society of Law Enforcement Trainers (ASLET)
• 4 time Instructor to the Canadian Use of Force Trainers Conference
• 2 time Instructor to the PPCT International Use of Force Training Conference
• Instructor to the International Association of Women Police (IAWP)
• Instructor to the International Law Enforcement Educators & Trainers Association (ILEETA)
• Published Author – Blue Line Magazine, RCMP Gazette, POLICE Magazine, The Tactical Edge
• World Police & Fire Games Gold, Silver & Bronze Medalist – Mountain Biking & Karate
• Cheakamus Challenge® Mountain Bike Race Competitor
• BC Bike Race® Competitor - 2nd place finisher 2016
• TransRockies® Mountain Bike Race Competitor
• Canadian Downhill Mountain Bike Championships Competitor (Master’s Division)
• Certified TRX® INSTRUCTOR
• Certified Canadian NCCP Level II Coach
• Certified CrossFit® Striking INSTRUCTOR