As a criminologist and former law enforcement officer, Dr. Kirkham has been called upon many times in nearly every state throughout the nation to provide expert witness testimony on behalf of both plaintiffs and defendants in private security-related litigation involving the following offenses:

• Homicide

• Sexual battery

• Child molestation

• Armed and strong-arm robbery

• Residential and commercial burglary

• Gang-related violence

• Kidnapping

• Carjacking and vehicle theft

• Shoplifting and larceny

• Arson

• Workplace crimes of violence

Dr. Kirkham’s professional experience includes having examined incidents involving the above crimes in the following contexts:

• Apartment houses, condominiums, hotels, and motels

• Bars and nightclubs

• Parking lots and garages

• Malls and shopping centers

• Fast food establishments, restaurants, and convenience stores

• Public entertainment facilities (e.g., video arcades, rock concerts, parks, Disney, Wet ‘n Wild and Universal Studios-type complexes, bowling alleys, movie theatres)

• Hospitals and pharmacies

• Churches

• Schools

• Car rental agencies

• Banks (including use of night depositories and ATM machines)

• Check-cashing facilities

• Gambling establishments

• Door-to-door sales operations

• Warehouses

• Retail sales establishments

• Private country clubs

• Golf courses

As a criminologist with decades of experience dealing with crimes against both persons and property, Dr. Kirkham is thoroughly familiar with professional standards and state-of-the-art equipment in the field of crime prevention and private security, including the following:

• Proactive guard patrol and use of off-duty law enforcement personnel as private security officers

• Alarm systems

• Safes

• Security post orders and crime prevention instructional material

• CCTV cameras, acoustical devices, and remote electronic monitoring of property

• Deterrent signage on property and in neighborhoods

• Measures to deter crimes against persons and property by opportunistic criminals

• Use of lighting as a deterrent to crime

• Ingress and egress control measures (e.g., gates, fencing, locks, metal detection devices)

• Analysis of statistical records regarding crimes occurring on property and in adjacent areas

• Crime prevention training of citizens, residents, and employees

• Methods to promptly apprise employees and residents of crimes and security-related problems on property and in the immediate area

• Performance of criminal, credit, and personal background checks on prospective employees and residents

• Opening and closing procedures of businesses

• Private security surveys

• Liaison with crime prevention units in local law enforcement

• Maintenance and proper use of security logs

• Target hardening properties by utilizing Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED)

• Arrest, detention, and use of physical force by security personnel

• Investigation and recording of security-related incidents on property

• Timely repair and maintenance of security-related hazards on property (e.g., lighting outages, overgrown vegetation, defective gates, fences, and locks)

• Negligent selection, retention, supervision, and training of security personnel

• Negligent entrustment of equipment to security personnel (e.g., firearms, handcuffs, batons, chemical agents such as OC spray, Tasers, and vehicles)