He earned his Ph.D. from Washington State University in 2002. He also holds a MA from California State University Los Angeles and a BA from the University of San Francisco. Prior to entering academia, Dr. Gingerich served 25 years with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, retiring in 1996 as a sergeant. He worked a variety of assignments with the LASD, including tours in custody, patrol, administration, and detective divisions. Prior to joining the LASD, he was a police officer with the Metropolitan Police Department, Washington DC. He served four and half years in the USMC (1963-1968). He holds basic, intermediate, advanced, and supervisory certificates from the California Commission of Police Officer Standards and Training.