Executive Director
Jeff provides executive leadership and strategic management of the Caruth Police Institute and its growing portfolio of projects. He works closely with the Institute’s Health and Public Safety team to contribute across the Institute providing subject matter expertise advancing our multifaceted law enforcement and first responder projects focused on mental health alternative and augmented emergency response, first responder health and wellness, peer networks, and more.
Jeff began his career with the Irving Police Department in 1986 as a Public Service Officer and worked his way through the ranks serving or supervising in all areas of the department. He was appointed Chief of Police in March of 2017 and led the department until his retirement in January of 2022. During his tenure, Jeff enhanced community outreach through the nationally recognized ShopTalk program, implemented peer support services, formed a mental health response unit, led a departmental reorganization and increased personnel by 12%.
Jeff has received a number of awards and recognitions during his police service: The Golden Apple from the Irving Independent School District, the Law Enforcement Officer of the Year from the NAACP, Civil Servant of the Year from Keep Irving Beautiful, the Trailblazer of the Year Award from the Caruth Police Institute, and the inaugural Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Award from the Irving/Las Colinas Chamber of Commerce.
Jeff holds a master’s degree in Criminal Justice Leadership and Management from Sam Houston State University. He is a graduate of the 252nd Session of the FBI National Academy, the Senior Management Institute for Police, and the Bill Blackwood Law Enforcement Management Institute of Texas Leadership Command College at Sam Houston State University. He served as the Chair for the Caruth Police Institute Executive Advisory Board; was Treasurer on the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF) Board of Directors; was Secretary-Treasurer of the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) Midsize Agencies Division Executive Committee; co-chairs Pathways to Hope Advisory Board, a reentry/diversion program through One CommunityUSA™; and is a board member of Brighter Tomorrows, an organization empowering survivors of domestic and sexual violence.
Chief Operating Officer
Max Geron has 34 years of experience in law enforcement – more than 27 of those years with the Dallas Police Department, where he served in a multitude of roles with increasing responsibility, retiring in 2020 as a Major over the Criminal Investigations Bureau.
Max served as the Chief of Police for the City of Rockwall, Texas, where he worked to modernize the department, increasing its analytical capabilities and enhancing its ability to respond to the changing community and crime trends. During his tenure, the department made significant strides in caring for the mental, physical, and spiritual well-being of its officers and civilian professional staff while keeping Rockwall one of the safest cities in Texas. Rockwall was one of the nation's first Active Bystandership for Law Enforcement (ABLE) Recognized Agencies.
In his role with a non-profit mental health policy institute, Max spearheaded alternative response projects in Dallas and Galveston improving service to those experiencing behavioral health crises. Max oversaw the launch of teams combining law enforcement, emergency medical practitioners and mental health professionals. In addition, Max has advised agencies on 9-1-1 response protocols and improvements to enhance emergency response.
Max received his undergraduate degree from Midwestern State University and his master’s degree in Homeland Security Studies from the United States Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California. He was a "Best Thesis" nominee and was awarded the Curtis H. "Butch" Straub Award for Leadership and Academic Excellence and is a recipient of the U.S. Congressional Patriot Award. He is a graduate of the 269th Session of the FBI National Academy. Max is passionate about improving the profession of policing for the next generation of officers and citizens they will serve. He lives in Rockwall with his daughter and son.
Director of Professional Development
Dr. Horton has been working in higher education for 15+ years in various capacities. She possesses both teaching and academic advisement experience within the field of Criminal Justice and Criminology. In addition, she has taught a variety of courses within both disciplines. Prior to coming to CPI, Dr. Horton was an Online Lecturer for the Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology at Sam Houston State University. She has also taught at other institutions of Higher Education which include but are not limited to Virginia State University, Texas Southern University, and Central Piedmont Community College.
Dr. Horton has program management experience in Higher Education as well. While employed at Virginia State University as an Assistant Professor, she served as the Program Coordinator for the Bachelor of Science Program in Criminal Justice for 500 + undergraduate students. Some of Dr. Horton’s research interests include but are not limited to public policy, quantitative methods, and criminology. In addition, she is certified to teach and has online teaching experience. Dr. Horton has experience creating both online and digital course content for institutions of Higher Education as well as for Sage Publications.
Dr. Horton earned her Ph.D. in Administration of Justice from Texas Southern University, a Master of Science degree in Criminal Justice from Grambling State University and Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. Lastly, Dr. Horton is a member of Alpha Phi Sigma, the National Criminal Justice Honor Society.
Project Director
Dustin Schellenger joined the CPI Team on January 14, 2022 as the State Director for the Texas Law Enforcement Peer Network. Dustin has valuable experience working with both the military and Law enforcement in a variety of positions. Prior to joining CPI Dustin was project manager for Dallas Police Department and a retired Gunnery Sergeant in the US Marines. He is passionate about supporting law enforcement and preventing police suicide.
Dustin Served for 20 years as a Military Policeman in the US Marines and has experience in crisis management, Special Reaction Team (SRT) tactics and management, and law enforcement management. He has worked on high risk warrants, hostage situations, drug raids, and lovingly as a regular patrolman. Dustin has served in Iraq as well as 13 other countries and is very familiar with PTSD and what families go through both in law enforcement and military service.
Senior Project Coordinator
Tracie Crosswhite serves as the Senior Project Coordinator. She has been working in higher education for more than twenty years in administrative support, budgeting, grant and contract management, and project coordination in Texas and Mississippi.
Tracie has a Bachelor’s in Human Development and Family Studies and Sociology from the University of North Texas. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her husband and two sons.
Director of Research
Dr. Paul Reynolds, PhD is the Director of Research for the Caruth Police Institute and an associate professor for the Department of Criminal Justice and Sociology at UNT Dallas. He is former municipal police officer with Nashville- Davidson Metropolitan Police Department in Nashville, TN and a US Army combat veteran (Iraq, OIF III). Dr. Reynolds earned a Doctorate of Philosophy in criminal justice from Texas State University in Texas, Masters of Science with an emphasis in public service management from Cumberland University in Tennessee and a Bacher of Arts in sociology from Stetston University in Florida.
Dr. Reynolds has led and collaborated on numerous studies and evaluations, both domestic and abroad. His area of research focuses on police organizational work environment and officer work behaviors resulted in numerous published peer-reviewed articles. His work has been been published in many highly respected criminology and criminal justice journals including the Police Journal: Theory, Practice and Principles, Journal of Theoretical & Philosophical Criminology, Criminal Justice, Law and Society (CCJLS), Criminal Justice Review, Police Quarterly, and the American Journal of Criminal Justice, International Journal of Police Science and Management, and the Journal of Criminal Justice and Pop Culture.
Administrative Specialist
Aaron Edwards is an accomplished Administrative Specialist at the University of North Texas Dallas-Caruth Police Institute and Texas Law Enforcement Peer Network Team, bringing a wealth of experience and dedication to his role. With a background rooted in military service, Aaron has deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan, Kuwait, and Korea, demonstrating leadership and resilience in challenging environments. His stateside service includes pivotal roles in Presidential Inauguration Security and Texas COVID Clean-up missions which showcase his unwavering commitment to national service and community support. After retiring from the Texas Army National Guard in 2021, Aaron earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Business Analytics from the University of North Texas in December 2023. Beyond his professional endeavors, he finds joy in online gaming and cooking. His commitment to both work and family underscores his holistic approach to life and his valuable contributions to the UNT community.
Research Analyst
Courtney Ripley holds an M.S. in criminal justice from the University of North Texas and has worked for the Caruth Police Institute (CPI) since January 2018. She also works full-time as a financial crime analyst for a consulting company specializing in anti-money laundering and virtual fraud trends. Courtney has built curriculum for a trauma recognition course for police, fire, and EMS where the focus is on the importance of mental wellness and recovering from traumatic experiences faced as a first responder. She has taught the trauma recognition course, along with others such as critical thinking, for CPI. Courtney is using the experience she has gained from those projects in order to help with curriculum creation, facilitating, and overall report writing on project proposals.