Academy Staff and Instructors
James R. Sackett, MA – Academy Director/Instructor
Mr. Sackett is a 1994 graduate of the U.S. Department of Defense Polygraph Institute (DoDPI), currently known as The National Center for Credibility Assessment (NCCA), and holds a Master of Arts degree in Forensic Psychophysiology from Argosy University, School of Professional Psychology, and a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from University of Maryland. Mr. Sackett has over 37 years law enforcement experience with over 27 of those directly involved as a polygraph examiner supporting military, federal, state and local agencies, with experience in the U.S. and internationally. Mr. Sackett retired as a polygraph examiner for the Army CID in 2000, served as a Kansas City, Missouri Police Department polygraph examiner for several years, and later retired as an Advanced P.O.S.T Certified Detective/Polygraph Examiner for the Nevada Department of Public Safety (DPS) in 2015. After retirement from public service, Mr. Sackett continued to contract with federal and county agencies in the State of Arizona to provide Post Conviction Sex Offender Testing (PCSOT) for several catchment areas in the state. Mr. Sackett is a full member of the American Polygraph Association (APA), the American Association of Police Polygraphists (AAPP), the National Polygraph Association (NPA) and ASTM International. He has contributed to polygraph and criminal justice course content and taught for accredited universities and schools.
Brian Hilke - Academy Instructor
Mr. Brian Hilke is a 2007 graduate of the Texas Department of Public Safety Law Enforcement Polygraph School. He completed his Post-Conviction Sex Offender Testing (PCSOT) training in 2010. Mr. Hilke holds a Master of Arts Degree in Criminal Justice and Sociology from Lincoln University in Jefferson City, Missouri, and a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Criminal Justice, with a Minor in Sociology from Columbia College in Columbia, Missouri. He is a certified Missouri Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Law Enforcement Instructor, holding both Generalist and Specialist training certifications. Mr. Hilke retired as a Lieutenant in May 2021 from the O’Fallon, Missouri Police Department after a 25-year law enforcement career. He spent 14 of his 25-year career serving in the roles of Detective and Detective Sergeant. Mr. Hilke was also a Shift Supervisor and Section/Division Commander for 18 of his 25 years. Mr. Hilke is currently President-Company Partner, Lead Instructor, and Certified Forensic Law Enforcement Polygraph Examiner for Vista Law Enforcement Training and Consulting, LLC based in Missouri. He is currently a member of the American Polygraph Association (APA) and the American Association of Police Polygraphists (AAPP).
Derek Piasecki - Academy Instructor
Mr. Piasecki is a 2003 graduate of the Texas Department of Public Safety Law Enforcement Polygraph School as a Certified Forensic Law Enforcement Polygraph Examiner and holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Lindenwood University. He has over 30 years of law enforcement experience with the St. Charles City Police Department where he retired in 2022, after 25 years of service in the various roles, including Field Training Officer (FTO), Public Information Officer (PIO), Detective, Applicant Background Investigator, Polygraph Examiner and Parole Sergeant where he served until his retirement. During his time as a detective, Mr. Piasecki was also an Investigator for the Major Case Squad of Greater St. Louis. Mr. Piasecki completed the American International Institute of Polygraph, Post-Conviction Sex Offender Testing and is a Certified Post Conviction Sex Offender Testing (PCSOT) Polygraph Examiner. He has conducted hundreds of these polygraph examinations in addition to the thousands of criminal, pre-employment, internal affairs, and private examinations. Mr. Piasecki is a full member of the American Polygraph Association (APA), and Past President of the Missouri Polygraph Association (MPA). He is the past Board Chairman and President, and current Secretary of the American Association of Police Polygraphists (AAPP).
Trent Lund, PhD - Lecturer (Anatomy and Physiology)
Dr. Lund is a graduate of Brigham Young University (PhD & MS- Behavioral Neuropsychology/ Neuroscience), Weber State University (BA - Psychology) and a former Professor and Postdoctoral Scholar at Colorado State University (Department of Biomedical Sciences). Dr. Lund currently works for Stoelting (a multidisciplinary company with an overarching psychophysiological theme).
Mike Ward, D.C. – Lecturer (Anatomy and Physiology)
Mike Ward is a Sports Medicine practitioner who graduated from the Southern California University of Health Sciences where he completed his Doctorate of Chiropractic. He is also an experienced polygraph examiner having previously served as a Lead Polygraph Examiner with the Los Angeles Police Department. He has extensive PSCOT and private practice polygraph experience. Dr. Ward commissioned into the United States Air Force where he was a Special Agent with the Office of Special Investigations.
Linda Quast, MS, MBA, PMP - Lecturer (Psychology)
Linda Quast holds a Master of Science in Psychology, a Master of Business Administration, and project management professional certification. She has managed higher education programs, personnel and projects for psychology, social work and human services programs at the bachelor's, master's and doctorate levels. Currently, she is the faculty manager for a major university's Master of Social Work (MSW) program. In addition, she supports the polygraph profession by maintaining affiliate membership in the American Association of Police Polygraphists (AAPP) and associate membership in the National Polygraph Association (NPA).
W. Bruce Voss, Esq. - Lecturer (Law)
Mr. Voss is a judge pro tem in the Orange County, California Superior Court and former board and faculty member of Irvine University School of Law and professor of business law at Golden West College. He earned a juris doctorate from Pepperdine University School of Law and a bachelor's degree in business administration/finance from California State University, Fullerton and is rated AV (the highest possible ranking) by Martindale Hubbell which establishes worldwide ratings for lawyers. He has lectured to the Australian Bar Association and was the first American to sit on the Australian Supreme Court. Mr. Voss has appeared in court hearings in Australia, Canada, Belize, and Mexico, and in hearings in State courts in California, Nevada, Arizona, Missouri, Pennsylvania, Texas, New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming and Oregon. He is currently a board member and general counsel to the following organizations: California Association of Polygraph Examiners, National Polygraph Association, Equine Empowered Treatment for Military Personnel, Beacon House Legal Team (Residential Treatment Center for men), Foundation for Worldwide Health and St. Mark Presbyterian Church in New Port Beach, California.
Thurma Steward, MA - PSCOT Lecturer (Psychology and Sex Offender Treatment)
Mrs. Stewart holds a Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology/Marriage Family Therapy and a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice Administration from University of Phoenix. She is certified with the California Sex Offender Management Board (CASOMB) as an Associate Practitioner, State Authorized Risk Assessment Tools for Sex Offenders (SARATSO) and certified as a Trainer for Trainers for the Level of Service Case Management Inventor, a violent risk assessment for sex offenders. Mrs. Stewart has over 10 years experience working with post-incarcerated sex offenders as a sex offender treatment provider and over 7 years experience as a site-coordinator of SOT programs and implementation of the Containment Model of Supervision of Sex Offenders. As a site coordinator, Mrs. Stewart worked closely with California Department of Corrections GPS Parole Units in San Bernardino, Los Angeles, and Riverside Counties to successfully implement the Containment Model of Supervision. Mrs. Steward's experience includes working with at-risk youth in highly restricted residential treatment facilities and foster care youths living in community residential homes. She is currently the president of SOAR & LIVE, Inc., a non-profit organization that works towards stopping stigmas in mental health within families and communities. Mrs. Steward is a full member of the American Psychological Association (APA), a member of National Resources Development Council for Inclusion and Equity (NRDCIE, NRDCLG), and an Advisory Board member of LoveNSpired.org, a Department of Children and Family Services community mentoring program.