Team

Will Manion is a retired Sergeant for the San Jose Police Department. Sgt. Manion started his police career in 1989 and in 27 years of service worked the Narcotic Enforcement Team, Merge (SWAT) Team, DEA Task Force, Homicide Detective and Airport Security Sergeant. Sgt. Manion received (7) major police awards including California Post Investigator of the year award for a Homicide Case where a convicted person was exonerated of a murder he did not commit. 

Nicole Decker assists in handling many of our day to day communications with clients, processing registrations and payments. Nicole is also an Administrative Assistant and Graphic Designer for the San Jose Police Officers’ Association.

Helen Berman handles our day to day communications with clients, processing all registrations and payments. Helen graduated from UC Santa Barbara and has over 15 years of professional experience.

Dr. Thomas Ropel is a retired FBI Special Agent with 21 years of experience in counterterrorism, behavioral analysis, and science-based interviewing. A former Marine Corps officer, he served on the Joint Terrorism Task Force and was a lead interrogator with the U.S. High-Value Detainee Interrogation Group. Dr. Ropel conducted investigations in over 35 countries and trained law enforcement worldwide. He holds a Ph.D. in International Psychology and is now a Criminal Justice Professor at Vanguard University, where he teaches courses on terrorism, interrogation, and cultural communication.

Steven Schuback is a seasoned labor relations attorney with over 20 years of experience representing public sector employers in complex disciplinary matters, grievances, and arbitrations. Licensed in Oregon and Washington, he specializes in law enforcement labor relations and provides comprehensive training to government agencies on collective bargaining, employee discipline, and employment law compliance.

Mike Rains has a Bachelor of Arts magna cum laude in English Literature from the California State University at Long Beach. Mike, while serving as a police officer in the City of Santa Monica, received a scholarship to attend law school. He earned his Juris Doctorate summa cum laude at Golden West University School of Law. After graduating from law school, he entered the private practice of law, leaving police work in 1980.

Mike worked for 18 years at the San Francisco based law firm of Carroll, Burdick & McDonough and founded Rains Lucia Stern, PC in May, 1999. The firm emphasizes the representation of public safety personnel in administrative, disciplinary, civil, criminal and labor-related issues. Mike has over 30 years representing police officers and other high profile clients in civil and criminal litigation.

Brian Spears has over 27 years of law enforcement experience with the San Jose Police Department, where he currently serves as Deputy Chief of the Bureau of Investigations. Throughout his career, Brian has served in key leadership positions, including Support Services Division Commander, Western Division Patrol Commander, and Special Investigations/Intelligence Commander. His extensive investigative background includes assignments in Homicide, Assaults, Financial Crimes, and Organized Crime Investigations.

Brian also served as the Silicon Valley Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force Commander, overseeing online child exploitation investigations across 11 Bay Area counties. He was a member of the FBI Child Exploitation Task Force, working on multi-agency operations targeting predators and human trafficking networks.

Beyond investigations, Brian is passionate about law enforcement training and leadership development, sharing his expertise in interviewing, interrogations, and investigative strategies with officers nationwide.

Jeff Profio is currently the Police Chief for the Prineville Police Department located in Central Oregon.  Jeff started his law enforcement career with the San Jose Police Department and served for 25 years.  He retired as a Lieutenant.  While at SJPD, he was assigned to Internal Affairs, the SJPD MERGE Team (SWAT), the Robbery Investigations Unit, the Vice Unit, the Covert Response Unit, and as a Field Training Officer.  After retiring from SJPD, Jeff served as the lieutenant for the West Valley Mission Community College Police Department for four years.  Jeff is also a certified POST Master Instructor.

Officer Johnna Watson has been with the Oakland Police Department since 1992.  She was a Reserve Officer for three years before being hired full time in 1995. She is currently assigned to the Office of the Chief of Police as a Public Information Officer in the Media Relations Office. She has held this position since 2011.  She has worked assignments in the FTO Program, as an Internal Affairs In-Take Officer, Community Policing, Walking Beat, Bicycle Officer, Dual Purpose Motorcycle, Honor Guard, and as a Reserve, a boat operator in the Marine Unit.  She has been an instructor for Firearms, Driving, Patrol Procedures, both in-service and for the Oakland Police Department Academy.  She was named Reserve of the Year in 1993 and received the Department’s Medal of Merit in 2017 for her media management of the Ghost Ship Fire.

Sergeant Chris Sciba has been with the San Jose Police Department since 1996 and is currently assigned to the Field Training Program. Chris graduated from San Jose State University with a degree in Administration of Justice. He has been assigned to the Parks Enforcement Unit, Horse Mounted Unit and the MERGE (SWAT) team. He is currently a collateral operator with the MERGE team as a sniper and explosive breacher after serving 8 years on the team full time as a team leader and unit supervisor. Chris has provided firearms and tactical instruction for local agencies and the SJPD Academy. Chris was awarded the SJPD Medal of Valor for his role in a hostage rescue crisis.

Michael Gaynor started his law enforcement career with the Daly City Police Department in 1979. In 1982 he left Daly City and went to the San Francisco Police Department where he retired in 2010 as an Inspector assigned to homicide. Michael currently works at the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office assigned to the Cold Case unit. His past assignments have been: Crime Scene Investigation, Robbery Investigations, Domestic Violence Detail, General Works Detail (person crimes), and Homicide Investigations. Michael has lectured on Death Investigation, Homicide Investigation, Crime Scene Reconstruction, Crime Scene Investigation, Bloodstain Pattern Analysis, Crime Scene Photography, and Officer Involved Shooting Investigations. Michael has Bachelor and Master degrees from San Jose State University in Administration of Justice.

Will Manion is a retired Sergeant for the San Jose Police Department. Sgt. Manion started his police career in 1989 and in 27 years of service worked the Narcotic Enforcement Team, Merge (SWAT) Team, DEA Task Force, Homicide Detective and Airport Security Sergeant. Sgt. Manion received (7) major police awards including California Post Investigator of the year award for a Homicide Case where a convicted person was exonerated of a murder he did not commit. 

Matt Irvine worked as a Detective with the Glendale, California Police Department, investigating sex crimes and family violence before transferring to Robbery/Homicide.  He moved to the San Francisco District Attorney Bureau of Investigations, assigned to public corruption investigations.  Matt reached the rank of Lieutenant, overseeing the Public Corruption Task Force (with the FBI) and the investigation of officer-involved incidents.  After retiring from sworn service, Matt joined the Portland Police Bureau as a background investigator.  He currently works as a cold case sex crimes investigator.  Matt is a graduate of Columbia University, the Sherman Block Supervisory Leadership Institute, and the FBI National Academy.

Nuno Tavares retired as a lieutenant from the Placer County District Attorney’s Office after a 27-year career in law enforcement. During his tenure, he held various positions, including assignments to narcotics and auto theft task forces, crimes against persons, and cold-case homicides. Throughout his career, Nuno received multiple commendations, including Investigative Excellence awards from both the International Homicide Investigators Association and the California Robbery Investigators Association, as well as recognition for Excellence in Instruction from the California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST). Currently, Nuno serves as a POST instructor and frequently speaks at homicide conferences. Additionally, he works as an adjunct professor at the University of San Diego and holds a Master’s degree from Saint Mary’s College.

Rhiannon Grotke is a District Attorney Investigator at the El Dorado County District Attorney’s Office.  Rhiannon has worked in law enforcement since 2005, and has held positions as Sheriff’s Dispatcher, Patrol Officer, Bailiff, Field Training Officer, Crisis Negotiation Team Leader, Detective, Child Forensic Interview Specialist, Child Advocacy Center Coordinator, and holds specialty certificates in Child Abuse and Homicide Investigations.  Rhiannon has been a practitioner of Science Based Interviewing (SBI) since 2020.  She has been coaching and instructing Science Based interviewing courses with California POST’s ICI SBI program and assists in developing SBI Curriculum throughout California.

Daniel Perez has over 15 years of law enforcement experience,  he currently serves as the Lieutenant at the Kern County District Attorney’s Office, Bureau of Investigations. Daniel started his law enforcement career at the Kern County Sheriff’s Office in 2005. During that time, he was assigned to Court Services, Uniformed Patrol, the Gang Unit, the Homicide Unit, the Internal Affairs Unit, and the Watch Lieutenant Section. In 2023, he went to work for the District Attorney’s Office as a Senior Investigator and is now a Lieutenant leading the Criminal Division. During his assignments, he has qualified as a gang, narcotics, and cellular phone expert. Daniel has had leadership roles in the Gang Unit, Homicide Unit and the Internal Affairs Unit.

Daniel graduated from Cal State Bakersfield in 2002 with a Bachelor’s degree in History. He is passionate about teaching other peace officers and teaches several topics for POST/STC academy classes in Kern County and Advanced Officer School.

Maureen U. Okwuosa is a senior associate with the Rains Lucia Stern St. Phalle & Silver, PC Legal Defense Practice Group. Maureen defends public sector employees in administrative investigations, critical incident investigations, and disciplinary appeals. She also represents public sector employees in grievances and in restraining order matters. Prior to joining RLS, Maureen worked as staff attorney for the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, wherein she advised and counseled executive staff on all matters pertaining to labor and employment law, investigations, public employee discipline, the Public Safety Officers’ Procedural Bill of Rights Act, and labor relations. Following her time with the Department of Corrections, Maureen transitioned to the private sector where she worked at a labor law firm exclusively defending peace officers.

Julia D. Fox is a partner in the Rains Lucia Stern St. Phalle & Silver, PC Legal Defense Practice Group. Julia represents peace officers in administrative investigations and disciplinary matters. Julia has significant legal experience, including almost eight years at the San Mateo County District Attorney’s Office as a Deputy District Attorney, spending much of her time there in a felony trial unit. Julia is a very experienced trial lawyer and comes from a police family: her father, brother and husband are all cops. Julia graduated from Saint Mary’s College of California with a degree in Government and earned her law degree from John F. Kennedy School of Law.

Nicole Pifari is a senior associate with the Rains Lucia Stern St. Phalle & Silver, PC Legal Defense Group. She represents officers in criminal investigations and prosecutions, administrative investigations, disciplinary appeals, and Brady list appeals. She also responds to critical incidents. Nicole has successfully defended criminal cases in both state and federal court. Most recently she achieved a significant victory at trial when the court exercised a rarely-used power to dismiss the case and enter a judgment of acquittal prior to sending the jury to deliberate. Her client in that case, a San Francisco deputy sheriff, was accused of excessive force. Nicole is a graduate of UC Hastings School of Law. Prior to law school, she was a police officer for the City of Missoula, Montana. During her time at Missoula PD, she was a canine officer and a member of the POA Board of Directors.

Andrew M. Ganz is an associate in the Rains Lucia Stern St. Phalle & Silver, PC Legal Defense Practice Group. Andrew defends public sector employees in criminal matters, administrative investigations, critical incident investigations, and disciplinary appeals. He also represents public sector employees in disciplinary actions and related litigation. Prior to joining RLS, Andrew worked as a prosecutor for over 13 years, during which time he handled virtually every type of criminal matter. Andrew has the distinction of being named Solano County’s first ever “Prosecutor of the Year.” In San Francisco, Andrew spent most of his time in the homicide unit, handling several complex cases. Andrew has extensive trial experience, having individually conducted well over 100 jury trials in his career. He has also written and argued countless motions, conducted many hundreds of preliminary hearings, presented cases to grand juries, handled writs and appeals, represented the State in parole hearings, and presented several trainings to lawyers, law enforcement and criminalists.

Lieutenant Nqui Scherry began his law enforcement career with the San Jose Police Department in 2002.  As an officer he was assigned to Patrol, the Field Training Program and he served as an Investigator in the Traffic Investigations Unit. As a Sergeant Nqui served as an investigator for the Internal Affairs unit and he supervised the Traffic Investigations Unit and the Auto Theft Unit. Nqui is currently assigned to the bureau of field operations. He is a certified Post instructor and has been teaching various classes at the SJPD Academy since 2008. Nqui holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration.

Michael Andraychak served in law enforcement for 35 years, retiring from the San Francisco Police Department as a Sergeant. During his time with SFPD, he worked patrol, narcotics/plain clothes investigations, field training officer, field training sergeant and part time academy instructor.  He supervised the SFPD Media Relations Unit and was Public Information Officer for ten years.  He has prior experience in campus and transit law enforcement. Michael holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Organizational Management from the University of San Francisco and an Associate of Science degree in Criminology from City College of San Francisco.

William Griffin retired from the Oakland Police Department after 19 years of service. He spent over 10 years working Internal Affairs. During this time, he coordinated investigations with The Civilian Police Review Agency. In addition, all investigations were monitored under a Negotiated Settlement Agreement by a Federally Appointed Monitor. He spent 9 years working as the Lethal Force and In Custody Death Investigator. William also worked as a patrol officer, Patrol Sergeant, Watch Commander, Field Training officer, and Instructor for the department.