Dr. Michael Breci is a Professor in the School of Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice at Metropolitan State University and coordinator of the Law Enforcement Certificate Program. He currently teaches Applied Criminology, Comparative Criminal Justice, Juvenile Justice and Criminal Justice Capstone in the undergraduate program. His prior work experience includes teaching at St. Cloud State University in the Sociology program, and serving as a police officer for the Sioux Falls Police Department and as a probation officer for the State of South Dakota.
His Ph.D. is in Sociology from Iowa State University, his M.S. is from South Dakota State University and his B.A. is from Sioux Falls College.
Dr. Anne B. Cross is an Associate Professor in the School of Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice at Metropolitan State University. She currently teaches Diversity Issues in Criminal Justice, Citizenship and Community Involvement, and the senior capstone course. She also supervises the SLC's internship program.
She received her doctorate in Sociology from Yale University and her B.A. in Political Science from the University of Minnesota (summa cum laude). She has served on the Minneapolis Civilian Review Authority, the Council on Crime and Justice's Somali Victimization Task Force, and the American Sociological Associations Departmental Resources Group. Her latest publication addresses key thinkers in sociology and their usefulness in undergraduate teaching (forthcoming in the International Journal of Pluralism and Economics Education).
Dr. James A. Densley is an Assistant Professor in the School of Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice at Metropolitan State University. In addition to writing and research classes, he teaches Applied Criminology, Urban Violence, and Violent Crime Investigation. His primary research interests are street gangs and organized crime. He recently published "The Organization of London's Street Gangs" in Global Crime and is regularly cited in the media regarding youth crime in the aftermath of the 2011 UK riots. He is a trustee and director of Growing Against Gangs and Violence, an educational partnership with London's Metropolitan Police Service.
He holds a D.Phil. and M.Sc. in Sociology from the University of Oxford (St. Antony's College), an M.S. in teaching from Pace University, and a B.A. (First Class Honors) in Sociology with American Studies from the University of Northampton. Prior to joining Metropolitan State University, he was a New York City Teaching Fellow and special education teacher in the New York City public schools.
Dr. Everett Doolittle is an Associate Professor at Metropolitan State University, School of Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice. He teaches both graduate and under graduate courses. His major areas of concentration are: management practices and principles; leadership studies and theories; criminal investigations; and criminal justice ethics. Prior to taking a position at Metropolitan State University, Dr. Doolittle was a Senior Special Agent at the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA). While at the BCA, he supervised the BCA's Cold Case Homicide Unit. Under Everett's leadership, the Cold Case Unit was featured on CBS's 48 Hours and A&E's Cold Case Files.
Over the past thirty years, Dr. Doolittle has worked as a consultant and instructor in both the law enforcement and the civilian communities. He has provided specialized training and consulted in leadership, management and supervision practices, teambuilding, interviewing, conflict resolution, homicide investigations, law enforcement ethics, and ethical leadership. Professor Doolittle holds a Doctorate in Public Administration, a Master's degree in Management and Administration, and is a graduate of the FBI National Academy.
Dr. Deborah Eckberg is an Assistant Professor at Metropolitan State University, School of Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice and will be the coordinator of the Master of Science in Criminal Justice program for the 2012-2013 academic year. Her teaching interests include research methods, victimology, and the criminal court system. Prior to becoming a full-time faculty member, Dr. Eckberg worked as the Principal Research Associate for the Fourth Judicial District (Hennepin County, MN) court. While her work background and expertise focus on the court system, Dr. Eckberg is interested in all aspects of the criminal justice system.
Dr. Eckberg's current research projects include the connections between cultural issues and mental illness among criminal offenders, issues related to multiple DWI offenders and the role of the therapeutic court model and research methods anxiety among undergraduate students. She contributed to the development of an online curriculum on mental health issues for Minnesota jails and law enforcement. She earned her B.A. degree from Dartmouth College, and earned both her M.A. and Ph.D. in sociology from the University of Minnesota.
Dr. Susan Hilal is an Associate Professor and coordinator of the Master of Science in Criminal Justice program. She has also served as coordinator for the Law Enforcement Certificate Program. She teaches primarily the senior capstone project, theory, and Introduction to Criminal Justice. Her areas of research interest include police education, juvenile justice issues, and volunteerism.
She has published a variety of articles in both trade and peer-reviewed journals. Prior to working at Metropolitan State University she was an Assistant Professor and coordinator of the Criminal Justice Bachelor of Science Degree Completion Program at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville. She earned her Ph.D. in Sociology from South Dakota State University, a M.S. in Criminal Justice from St. Cloud State University, and a B.A. in Criminal Justice from the University of St. Thomas.
Dr. Jennifer Wingren is an Associate Professor in the School of Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice at Metropolitan State University. Her main teaching interests include writing and research methodology, corrections, and women and crime. Her research interests include domestic violence, fear of crime, and citizenship/volunteerism.
Dr. Wingren received her B.A. in Sociology from Bemidji State University. She received both her M.A. and Ph.D. in Sociology from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Prior to working at Metropolitan State University she was an Assistant Professor at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater in Sociology/Criminal Justice.
