He holds a Ph.D. and M.A. in political science from West Virginia University and a M.S. and B.S. in criminal justice from Radford University. He currently serves as a Major in the United States Army Reserves, Military Police Corps, and is a decorated Veteran of the Persian Gulf War. He is a graduate of the military police (enlisted) basic and advanced training, military police officer basic and advanced officer training, and the Combined Arms Services Support School. He is currently enrolled in Command & General Staff College. He is also a former police officer from the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan area. His research interests are centered on policing and public policy issues, and he is the author of numerous peer-reviewed journal articles, books, and magazine articles related to both topics. In his spare time he enjoys running and teaching martial arts.