Ronald A. Rufo

Working for the Chicago Police Department for twenty-two years was an honor and a privilege. I retired in 2015 from the 18th District. I spent most of my career as a crime prevention speaker in the Preventive Programs Unit. It was through good fortune that I received specialized training in suicide prevention and became a certified member of the Chicago Police Department Critical Incident Team.

I am passionate about helping other officers, and that passion led to writing my latest book, Breaking the Barriers, my fourth book and second on police wellness. You could say I’m on a crusade to rid the law enforcement profession of its constant and relentless shadow of despair. In it, I present a cornucopia of tools for intervention and support to help all law enforcement officers achieve a work/life balance that will lead to a long, healthy, and well-deserved retirement.

I have been busy in my retirement. I am delighted and privileged to be a keynote speaker with Badge of Life, a great organization that helps fellow officers in need. I have three beautiful daughters, Rita, Laura, and Cara, and a wonderful granddaughter named Alinah. I love them all with all of my heart. I am married to Debbie, who has always stood by me through thick and thin. I have a passion for antique cars, and I love my red 1959 Cadillac convertible.

One of the proudest days of my life was in 2007 when I received my doctoral degree in organizational leadership from Argosy University. My dissertation topic was An Investigation of Online Sexual Predation of Minors by Convicted Male Offenders. I thought the world should know how devious sex offenders can be, so I decided to write my first book, Sexual Predators Amongst Us.

When I was an instructor for the master’s program at Kaplan University, I met a truly remarkable professor, Dr. Lauren Barrow. She and I decided to coauthor a book on criminal profiling, titled Police and Profiling in the United States: Applying Theory to Criminal Investigations.

I was involved in peer support early on in my law enforcement career. I was honored to become a peer support team leader a few years later. It was through peer support that I became interested in the subject of police suicide, and why so many officers were taking their lives. My third book, Police Suicide: Is Police Culture Killing Our Officers? was published in August 2015.

I am available for lectures, book signings, and community events. Please visit my website at ronrufo.com to learn more.

Let's connect on LinkedIn, or email me at ronaldrufo@sbcglobal.com.

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