Landon Elsemere Press

About Dr. Aaron Westrick

Aaron Westrick attained a PhD in Sociology with a minor in Criminal Justice, and an MS in Criminal Justice from Wayne State University.  He earned a BA in Social Science from Michigan State University.   

Dr. Westrick is an Associate Professor of Criminal Justice at Lake Superior State University.  He has also taught at Wayne State University, North Central Michigan College, and Oakland University, as well as for the International Association of Chiefs of Police in Washington, DC, and the Criminal Justice Advisory Board in Petoskey, MI. 

He has developed and taught university and academy courses and seminars in criminal justice, sociology, tactics, use of force and police procedure for the Macomb Police Academy, Oakland Police Academy, MI, and Michigan State University.

Dr. Westrick is the principal consultant for Ballistic Armor Research Group, LLC, which specializes in government consult regarding armor research projects since 1997. 

Related projects include Ballistic Armor Testing: Tactical Armor Systems vs. Extreme Street Threats in Phoenix, AZ; business contracts regarding research of contemporary body armor technology; chemical analysis of contemporary body armor technology; development of personnel tactical armor systems for Second Chance Body Armor, Inc.; research and development of hard and composite armor systems; and U.S. Army Research Labs, Soft Catch (830A1 projectile Program); research with Wayne State University regarding soft body armor and back face deformation issues; and expert witness testimony in criminal and civil trials throughout Michigan and the United States. 

Dr. Westrick is a police supervisor with over 30 years of law enforcement experience.  He has served as corrections supervisor, assault (SWAT) team member, hostage negotiator and major case detective.

Dr. Westrick, a whistleblower of defective bullet-proof vests, was awarded the Frank Wills & Martha Mitchell Pillar Award at the Whistleblower Summit for Civil and Human Rights.  He initiated a False Claims complaint against manufacturers of bullet proof vests which used Zylon fiber. The false claims lawsuit was one of the most hotly contested False Claims Act qui tam cases in American history, and took 14 years to reach a conclusion with a $66 million settlement regarding allegations of False Claims Act violation.  

His book Use of Force Investigation, Second Edition was released by Landon Elsemere Press in 2018.  It focuses on an investigative analysis of law enforcement use of force. He has co-authored the chapter The Threat of Domestic Extremism with Frank Tridico in Issues in Social Justice, Second Edition (2018).  Upcoming work includes co-authoring Critical Issues in Policing (2020) with Charles E. Crawford and Frank Tridico. 

Aaron Westrick, PhD