Matt Episcopo- TEDx, International Speaker, Leadership Coach

Thrilled to have just completed a high-impact Science-Based Interviewing training in Altoona, Wisconsin! 📍🧪

In partnership with MCTFT (Multijurisdictional Counterdrug Task Force Training) and HIDTA (High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area), we brought together over 40 officers from agencies across the region for two days of cutting-edge, research-backed training. 👮‍♂️👮‍♀️

Officers learned modern, evidence-based techniques that are transforming how we gather information:

• Building genuine rapport to encourage complete and truthful accounts

• Cognitive interviewing methods to elicit richer, more accurate details

• Ethical credibility assessment grounded in science — not outdated myths

• Strategic use of evidence while protecting the integrity of every statement

Why does this matter? In counterdrug investigations, every interview can make the difference between a strong case and a missed opportunity.

These science-based skills help us obtain reliable information faster, reduce the risk of false confessions, strengthen prosecutions, and — most importantly — deliver real justice while keeping communities safer. 💪🔍

Huge thanks to every officer who showed up ready to learn and to MCTFT & HIDTA for making this critical training possible.

Proud to see law enforcement embracing smarter, more effective tools for the job.

Counterdrug ProfessionalDevelopment PublicSafety

🚀 Just wrapped up two fantastic classes at the 34th Annual Kansas Narcotics Officers Association (KNOA) Training Conference in Wichita! 🎉

What an honor to deliver “Science Based Interview Techniques for Narcotics Officers” through my partnership with the Multijurisdictional Counterdrug Task Force Training (MCTFT) to such a dedicated group of law enforcement professionals.

The energy was incredible, and the feedback was outstanding — thank you to everyone who attended and participated!

Attendees walked away with practical, science-based interviewing skills grounded in the latest research from psychology and cognitive science.

We focused on building rapport, using active listening, conducting effective interviews, strategically presenting evidence, and gathering accurate, reliable information — all while staying ethical and reducing the risk of false confessions.

These techniques help investigators get to the truth faster and strengthen cases in narcotics enforcement and beyond. 🔍💡

The response was so positive that I’ve been invited back and have already booked several more classes across Kansas!

I’m excited to keep spreading the word about modern, evidence-based interviewing that moves beyond outdated methods and delivers real results for law enforcement.

Huge thanks to the KNOA team for putting on such a strong conference💥

If you’re in law enforcement and want to level up your interviewing game with proven, science-backed techniques, let’s connect!

I’d love to bring this training to your agency or team.

(Note: To protect the identities of the attendees I have not included photos from my classes because they are working High Level narcotics cases)

PoliceTraining ProfessionalDevelopment MCTFT

🚀 Just wrapped my Science-Based Interviewing Techniques class at the Rhode Island Municipal Police Training Academy!

Officers & Detectives from RI State Police, Brown University PD, Lincoln PD, RI Dept. of Corrections, Warwick PD, Cranston PD, Narragansett PD, and Cumberland PD were in attendance.

We were joined by a standout special guest — Dr. Melissa Rosano! A leading researcher in science-based interviewing methods and former member of the High-Value Detainee Interrogation Group (HIG), her expertise brought next-level insight and credibility to the room. What an honor! 👏

These professionals learned cutting-edge, evidence-based techniques grounded in cognitive psychology — improving recall, building real rapport, and reducing bias for more reliable statements.

The payoff? Stronger cases, fewer errors, greater public trust, and safer Rhode Island communities. 🔍

Huge thanks to the Academy for hosting, every attendee for their engagement, and Dr. Rosano for elevating the training! Proud to bring science that drives real justice.

RhodeIsland

Grateful to have just taught my science-based interviewing class hosted by the Manlius Police Department, New York 👮‍♂️👮‍♀️

Patrol officers and investigators from several neighboring agencies were in the room—many of them long-time partners committed to professional, evidence-based policing.

Chief Jason Cassalia addressed the attendees to reinforce the message.

Key takeaways from the class included:
🧠 Building rapport without sacrificing legality or ethics
🎯 Asking better, evidence-driven questions
📋 Structuring interviews to improve accuracy and detail
⚖️ Reducing risk while strengthening cases that stand up in court
🤝 Applying these skills in both patrol encounters and investigations

When agencies invest in science-based interviewing, the benefits extend far beyond the interview room—stronger investigations, fairer processes, and greater community trust.

If your agency is looking to elevate interviewing practices with proven, research-backed methods, I’m always happy to continue the conversation.

CommunityTrust

Just Wrapped Up an Incredible 4-Day ORBIT Advanced Rapport Interviewing Course in Alliston, ON – Elevating Investigative Skills Across Canada! 🇨🇦

If you’ve ever wondered why some interviews lead to breakthroughs while others hit a wall, let me introduce you to Orbit Interviewing (Observing Rapport-Based Interpersonal Techniques).

This isn’t just another interviewing course.

This is the proven, evidence-based framework that’s replacing coercion worldwide.

Attendees walked away armed with a ton of information. Here are two absolute game-changers:

🧠 HEEAAR Principles
Honesty • Empathy • Evocation • Adaptation • Autonomy • Reflection

→ Turns even the most resistant subjects cooperative — fast, ethically, and court-defendable.

⚡ The Interpersonal Behavior Wheel

Instantly read dominance, submission, hostility, or cooperation — then flexibly shift your stance to turn interviews into dynamic dialogues, not battles.

Delivered by the actual architects:
Dr. Laurence Alison MBE, Dr. Emily Alison, Dr. Frances Surmon-Böhr, and assisted by living legend Jim Smyth (retired OPP Superintendent — the man who broke Russell Williams, Tori Stafford & Rafferty cases with pure rapport).

I was there as an instructor-in-training, soaking up every second so I could bring the most current ORBIT methods straight to my classes.

A huge thank you to the ORBIT team, Jim and Vern Pierson for your continued support along my science-based interviewing journey.

Bottom line: Pressure-based tactics are obsolete.

Rapport is the present and the future.

Who’s already using HEEAAR or the Wheel in the field?

Drop your biggest win below ⬇️

RapportBased LawEnforcementTraining CanadianPolice

Wrapped up another outstanding Science-Based Interviewing class in Danbury, Connecticut 👮‍♂️🔬.

This one brought together officers, detectives, and investigators from departments across the region who are ready to work smarter, not harder.

Starting with their very next interview, these professionals now have three immediately deployable skills grounded in decades of peer-reviewed research:

• 🗣️ Rapport-first approach: A structured way to lower defenses and turn silence into detailed, voluntary disclosures

• 🧠 Cognitive interviewing protocol: A simple, repeatable sequence that consistently pulls 35–50% more accurate information from victims and witnesses without planting or distorting memory.

• 📖 Open-narrative questioning: Precise, non-leading prompts that produce lengthy, uncontaminated statements that prosecutors love and defense attorneys can’t easily unravel.

These aren’t theories—they’re tools you can use on a traffic stop tomorrow morning or a major case interview tomorrow night. The outcome: more truthful information, faster clearances, rock-solid cases, and fewer headaches down the road.
Proud of this group 🔥.

Danbury and surrounding agencies just moved to the front of the pack.

Already locked in to return next year—can’t wait to build on what we started! 📅✊

🚔💪

🎉 Just wrapped up an incredible Science-Based Interviewing class in Maryland, in partnership with MCTFT and HIDTA! 🚀

Attendees leveled up with evidence-backed techniques that go beyond myths—no deception detection here. Instead, they mastered:

🔬 Building genuine rapport for deeper, more reliable conversations

🧠 Strategic questioning to unlock accurate information effortlessly
📈 Cognitive interviewing to enhance memory recall and clarity

✅ Ethical, science-driven methods that boost credibility and outcomes

Now armed with tools to conduct interviews that are smarter, fairer, and far more effective! 💪 Grateful for the engaged group—here’s to applying these skills in the field! 🌟

🚨 Effective interviewing isn’t about tricks—it’s about strategy, rapport, and respect.

I just wrapped up teaching my Science-Based Interviewing class at the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, Alabama, in partnership with MCTFT. Deputies and officers from all around the Birmingham area learned how to:
📝 Plan interviews strategically
🔍 Use evidence effectively
🤝 Build and maintain rapport
…and a whole lot of other science-backed techniques that make interviews more accurate and strengthen community trust.

Big thanks to Jefferson County SO and MCTFT for hosting—can’t wait to come back! 🙌

This is the look of terror.
This is the look of why?
This is the look of the last three seconds of LIFE — as her eyes connect with the animal that just slit her throat on a public train.

It should shake you to your core — because it could be YOU, or your loved one.

She came here from Ukraine, after living in a bomb shelter, searching for safety and a better life. Instead, she was murdered by an animal who had been arrested 14 times — the last time ordered by a judge with no bail — and still set free.

This should never have happened and was completely preventable. This animal should never have been on the streets in the first place.

What has happened to our society when lawmakers and judges care more about releasing criminals than protecting the innocent?

And as unthinkable as the crime itself was, equally disturbing is the fact that bystanders stood by, watching, doing nothing.

If this upsets you, it should — because change is needed now. The zero-bail, revolving-door, criminal-first justice system is destroying lives, families, and communities. Justice should protect the innocent, not empower the dangerous.

I hope this tragedy forces the attention needed to finally get tough on crime and put an end to these senseless acts that happen far too often in our country.

🚨 Thrilled to share that I recently led a Science-Based Interviewing (SBI) class in partnership with the New York State STOP DWI Foundation and the Clinton County Sheriff’s Office! 🚔

Attendees honed practical, evidence-based skills, including:

💥 Applying strategic, open-ended questioning to elicit detailed, reliable responses

💥 Building trust through proven rapport-building techniques to encourage open dialogue

💥 Conducting ethical, non-coercive interviews to ensure credible and defensible outcomes

The feedback was outstanding!

One participant shared: “I enjoyed it. I would be interested in attending this course again. This course helped with my overall interviewing skills and trying to build more rapport rather than just trying to get a confession quickly and the importance of building rapport can be to getting a confession.”

📅 I’m now booking for Fall 2025, with only five dates left! Contact me to secure your dates and master science-based interviewing.

Let’s elevate your skills together! 💪

Thrilled to share a highlight from an incredible day teaching a science-based interviewing class in partnership with the Multijurisdictional Counterdrug Task Force Training (MCTFT) and North Florida HIDTA! 🚀
This dynamic group of federal investigators dove deep into evidence-based interviewing techniques, mastering skills that enhance truth-seeking and effective communication. From strategic interview planning to leveraging cognitive interviewing and conversation management, they embraced tools like TEDS (Tell, Explain, Describe, Show), reflections, and the strategic use of evidence to conduct impactful interviews.
It was a privilege to work with such a dedicated and engaged group—your commitment to excellence in investigations is truly inspiring! Thank you, MCTFT and North Florida HIDTA, for this fantastic collaboration. 🙌