Wauwatosa, WI
David Cefalu began his law enforcement career with the Wauwatosa Police Department in 2006 as a police officer. He currently serves as a Detective in the Investigative Division. David has served as an officer in the Patrol Division and the Special Operations Group, where he investigated violent crimes and drug trafficking. He has focused on evidence-based policing measures through academic partnerships on projects analyzing, evaluating, and implementing a harm-focused hotspot experiment and processes for recruiting and selecting police officers. David is the department lead Defensive and Arrest Tactics Instructor and a Professional Communications Instructor. He also served 15 years with the department’s Special Response Team.
David is also a Major in the Wisconsin Air National Guard with 23 years of service ranging from Security Forces to Inspector General. He currently serves as a Wing Executive Officer. He holds a Doctorate of Business Administration in Management from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. David holds a Masters of Business Administration in Public Administration from Concordia University-Wisconsin and a Bachelors of Criminal Justice from Troy University. His research interests include place-based harm-focused policing, and personnel recruitment, selection, and retention. His dissertation focused on ethics, officer wellness, and the reintegration of military veterans.