Gary Peterson is the President/CEO of Public Sector Search & Consulting, Inc. and the firm’s principal recruiter. Gary has successfully managed and recruited national candidates in more than fifty police executive searches including several major U.S. cities and universities.
Gary brings more than 30 years of public sector employment and executive recruiting experience to each search. Before entering the executive search profession, he was an appointed police chief in Martinez, California. He possesses a deep understanding of the trends, obstacles, opportunities, and challenges facing police executives in the 21st century. He has extensive experience collaborating with mayors, city administrators, city managers, city councils, police commissions, Advisory boards, and search committees. Before founding PSSC, he worked for a mid-sized search firm recruiting executives for all governmental positions.
Gary holds a Juris Doctor from John F. Kennedy University, School of Law, an M.S. in Criminal Justice from California State University, Sacramento, and a B.A. in Sociology from the University of California, Riverside. He is a graduate of the FBI National Academy and the PERF’s Senior Management Institute for Police in Boston, MA. He is a member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the National Association of Women Law Enforcement Executives, the Police Executive Research Forum, and the FBI National Academy Associates.