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Mr. Steven Gatterman
Lead Instructor - Collision Investigation / Forensic Mapping / Instructor Development
Collision Reconstructionist
Steve Gatterman has served as a law enforcement officer for 17 years, and is currently a traffic sergeant with the Whatcom County Sheriff's Office in Bellingham, Washington. Steve holds a Bachelor of Science Degree with concentrations in math, physics, and behavioral science. Steve graduated #1 in his police academy class in 1992 and has dedicated his career to the prevention and investigation of motor vehicle collisions. As a result of his leadership in the area of traffic safety, the Washington Traffic Safety Commission recognized him with "Outstanding Officer" awards in 1997 and 2001.
Steve is also the owner of Collision Investigation Solutions, a private consulting company and supplier of crash investigation equipment, software, and training.
Steve has extensive experience as a traffic enforcement officer, collision investigator, program manager, and instructor. His training courses in crash investigation and forensic mapping are highly regarded for their innovative and interactive curriculum. Steve is a certified collision investigation instructor for the Washington Criminal Justice Training Commission, an adjunct instructor for Bellingham Technical College, and a MapScenes® System software trainer. Steve has received specialized instructor training in non-verbal communication, emotional intelligence, the adult learning theory, and curriculum development. He received the "Excellence in Training" award from the Washington Criminal Justice Training Commission in 2005. Steve has provided well over 1000 hours of instruction to hundreds of officers from over 115 different law enforcement agencies in the USA and Canada.
Steve is an ACTAR accredited Collision Reconstructionist and a member of the Washington Association of Technical Accident Investigators. He has completed over 600 hours of accident investigation training. He supervises the Whatcom County Regional EVOC Team, and is a certified Bosch Crash Data Retrieval Analyist. Steve has investigated hundreds of collisions and supervised the investigation of many more, including serious injury, fatality, and officer-involved crashes. His skills as a Forensic Mapping Technician are used by local criminal investigators to complete crime scene diagrams, trajectory analyses, and 3D animations for courtroom use.
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Mr. David Scott
Instructor - Collision Investigation / Forensic Mapping / Emergency Driving
Collision Reconstructionist
Dave Scott has served as a law enforcement Officer for over 20 years. David started his career as a University Police Officer at the Washington State University Police Department, in Pullman Washington. In 1989 David Was awarded Washington State University Police Officer of the Year. In 1992 he was given an Award of Merit by the Police Department in recognition for his outstanding conduct and contributions above and beyond the call of duty. When David left the University Police he had attained the rank of Corporal.
David is currently the Senior Traffic Deputy with the Whatcom County Sheriff's Office in Bellingham, Washington. He has been involved in traffic safety since 1997. David also serves as a specialized instructor for Collision Investigation Solutions, a private consulting company and supplier of crash investigation equipment, software and training.
David has extensive experience as a traffic officer, collision investigator, and law enforcement instructor. He is a certified Technical Collision Investigator, and has investigated hundreds of collisions including felony, serious injury, and fatalities. David has also investigated or assisted in the investigation of approximately 100 government operated vehicle collisions, consisting mostly of on duty patrol car crashes. He has also developed multiple crash tests for students of several Washington Criminal Justice Training Commission collision investigation courses.
David is a Forensic Mapping Technician and uses his expertise to assist in Traffic and Crime Scene Investigations. He is also a certified Bosch Crash Data Retrieval System Technician/Analyst.
David is the Lead Driving Instructor for the Whatcom Regional EVOC Team. He is an EVOC/PIT/Skid Car Instructor. He also has completed the Advanced Driving Instructor Training Program sponsored by the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center. David is responsible for the development and implementation of driver training for hundreds of local, state, and federal law enforcement officers and agencies.
David has been recognized for his development and implementation of driver training courses for specialty vehicles such as tactical assault vehicles and large operational vehicles. He has also designed a course for correctional officers transporting prisoners in passenger vehicles and fifteen passenger vans. David is currently developing a class to address specific issues with high center of gravity vehicles.
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Mr. James V. Smith II ("Jim")
Instructor
Jim served in law enforcement with the Whatcom County (WA) Sheriff's Office for eight (8) years (1994-2002), holding positions of Drug Task Force Support Assistant, Explorer Cadet, Reserve Deputy, Patrol Deputy, East County Deputy, Explorer Cadet Advisor, Field Training Officer, and Detective. In 1997, Jim graduated with "Top Academic" awards from both the Washington State Law Enforcement Reserve Academy and the Basic Law Enforcement Academy. For three (3) years (1998-2001), Jim served on the Whatcom County Deputy Sheriff Guild's executive board and contract negotiations team.
In 2005, Jim earned his Juris Doctor degree from Western State University College of Law, graduating Valedictorian with summa cum laude honors. He also earned ten (10) Witkin Awards for Academic Excellence, and was a published writer for the WSU Law Review. During his final year of law school, Jim was a legal extern for the prominent police litigation defense firm of Ferguson, Praet, & Sherman (Santa Ana, CA), serving under the direction of attorney Bruce D. Praet, co-president of Lexipol LLC (a law enforcement policy manual development company). Jim also conducted research projects on various law enforcement related topics while in law school.
As a panel attorney for PORAC's Legal Defense Fund, and as an Associate Attorney and Labor Consultant with the leading public safety law firms of Lackie & Dammeier (Upland, CA) and Cline & Associates (Seattle, WA), Jim represented public safety labor unions, law enforcement officers, firefighters, correctional officers, dispatchers, and support staff, in both California and Washington. Jim also served as a Labor Relations Manager for the Port of Seattle (Seattle, WA), representing police and fire management in collective bargaining and administrative employment matters (e.g. internal affairs, disciplinary proceedings, grievance arbitrations, unfair labor practices), and was the designated training representative for the Port's labor relations department. Jim now serves as a Staff Attorney for Teamsters Local Union No. 117 (Tukwila, WA), the third largest Teamsters union in the United States with over 16,000 members, and will assume the duties of Public Sector Coordinator in mid-2010.
Jim has handled administrative disciplinary matters from the initial interview through the appeals process, responded to officer-involved shootings and critical incidents, negotiated collective bargaining agreements, and represented clients during administrative hearings, grievance arbitrations, and unfair labor practices. Jim has also provided training on the legal rights of public safety employees in disciplinary proceedings and collective bargaining.
Jim is admitted to practice law in both Washington State and California, including admission to the U.S. District Court, Central District of California. Jim's personal and professional memberships include: Grace Bible Church (Member), Christian Legal Society (Member), Snohomish County Bar Association (Member), Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs (Affiliate Member), Washington Council of Police and Sheriffs (Retired Associate Member), and Law Enforcement Alliance of America (Life Member).
Jim has dedicated his career to public safety representation via his multifaceted police, fire, labor, and legal experience, having handled over one hundred (100) public safety related cases, involving over fifty (50) public safety agencies and public safety labor organizations, in two states.
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