Wall of Fame

Major Dalton holds both a Bachelors Degree in Criminology and a Masters Degree in Criminal Justice Administration from USF. He is also a graduate of the Police Executive Research Forum Senior Management Institute for Police.

Major David Dalton has over twenty-two years of law enforcement experience with both the Auburndale and Clearwater Police Departments. He began his career with the Clearwater Police Department in 1996 and served within the Department’s Old Clearwater Bay Neighborhood Policing Team and the agency’s Detective Division, first as a Crimes Against Children and Families Detective and later as a Homicide Detective.

As a sergeant, Major Dalton held supervisory positions as a Patrol Team Sergeant, Patrol Support Team Sergeant, and Internal Affairs Investigator, while assuming additional responsibility as the Department’s Accreditation Manager. As a Lieutenant, Major Dalton held positions as the Assistant Commander of the Support Services Division, Assistant Commander of the Criminal Investigations Division, and as the Clearwater Beach District Commander. During his two years of assignment to this position, he was twice selected as the Clearwater Beach Chamber’s “Citizen of the Year.” Major Dalton is currently assigned as the Criminal Investigations Division Commander, where he manages ten investigative units, responsible for all facets of criminal investigations.

Dr. Allison DeFoor, a seventh-generation Floridian, is an Episcopal priest, and serves as Canon to the Ordinary to the Bishop of the Diocese of Florida, in Jacksonville. He has a long background in criminal justice, including service as a prosecutor, public defender, judge and Sheriff of Monroe County. He has degrees in law, criminology and theology including a M.A. in Criminology from USF.

Dr. DeFoor was active in a small group of reformers who undertook to reform the justice system in the Florida Keys in the 1980’s. Following the Miami Herald’s series “Smuggler’s Island”, the group was successful in electing an honest state attorney. Subsequently, the reform efforts resulted in the indictments of the former state attorney, former city and county attorney, the Public Defender, and some local attorneys. Dr. DeFoor was elected as county judge at the age of 28 and then later served as a Circuit Judge and Sheriff of Monroe County. In 1990, Dr. DeFoor was the Republican Nominee for Lt. Governor of Florida as running mate of Governor Bob Martinez. Subsequently, Dr. DeFoor served as a law professor at the University of Miami, and a member of the Board of Governors of the Florida Bar. He also served as a trustee of numerous boards including the Florida Chamber Foundation, Florida Historical Society, Associated Industries of Florida, and Florida Tax Watch.

Dr. DeFoor has been concurrently active in conservation and served as Everglades Czar to Governor Jeb Bush. In 2014, he chaired passage of Amendment 1, authorizing the largest land protection efforts in world history.

Captain Meg Ross began her career with the USF Police Department in 1988 as a patrol officer. She spent fifteen years in Patrol as an officer, corporal and sergeant. During this time she earned her Bachelor of Arts Degree in the USF Business College. She then served as the Accreditation Manager and was promoted to Support Services Lieutenant after successfully overseeing the agency’s 3rd reaccreditation. She continued as the Accreditation Manager, but then also served as the Public Information Officer and manager of the Records section and the Communications Center.

Captain Ross was part of the first cohort of the USF MACJA program in 2006, earning her M.A. Degree in 2008. In 2010, She was assigned as the Patrol Commander. Under her leadership, the agency placed a renewed emphasis on traffic and pedestrian safety and won first place in the University Law Enforcement category of the International Association Chiefs of Police National Law Enforcement Challenge (2011), first place in the Florida Law Enforcement Challenge in the University Law Enforcement category and placed in the Florida DUI Challenge (2012).

In January 2014, she was promoted to Captain and assigned as the Operations Commander, overseeing Patrol and Communications. She and her family live in Temple Terrace and remain very active in the USF community.

Lee Bercaw is a Major at the Tampa Police Department. He holds a B.A. in Criminology and a M.A. in Criminal Justice Administration from USF.

During his 20 years as an officer, Major Bercaw has become known for his proactive crime reduction initiatives and his management of security and transportation for many large scale events. He partnered with the VM Ybor community, and members of his MACJA Cohort to develop a Prostitution Exclusion Zone, which reduced crime and improved the quality of life along Nebraska Avenue. He established the department’s Professional Standards Bureau and launched the Quality Assurance program, which improved the department’s best practices through audits and training. Under his direction, the department achieved accreditation. Major Bercaw teaches law enforcement officers to be certified field trainers. He maintains a close working relationship with USF through guest lecturing, research projects, and grant partnerships.

He is an active member of the Tampa Bay Area Police Chiefs Association and serves as the secretary treasurer for their newly established Education and Research Foundation.

Eric Biel is an Administrative Specialist for the Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters (HIPPY) program at the USF. In 2013, he graduated with distinction from USF with a B.A. in Criminology. He was selected as a Student Success profile to highlight his academic accomplishments, leadership, research, and community engagement. Eric continued his education at USF to earn his MBA in 2016.

Eric's interests include innovation, travel, international business, education, and entrepreneurship. His involvement with HIPPY created a passion for empowering parents. Eric co-founded Tembo Education, named in Forbes 30 Under 30 Social Enterprises parents living in the slums around the world to provide an education to their 0-6 year old children, via text message. His start-up company also won the State Collegiate Business Plan competition in 2016 which was a first for USF. Eric enjoys volunteering with community programs focusing on homelessness and education initiatives.

Tre’ Elijah Rendell Bryant received a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminology from USF in the summer of 2016. Tre’ is also a graduate from the State College of Florida where he received an Associate in Arts Degree in 2014. During his time at the State College he maintained a G.P.A. of 3.5 and was honored with a position on the schools Dean’s and President’s Lists. He also played on the men’s basketball team where he earned a spot on the Suncoast Conference All-Academic Team and All-Conference Second Team. After transferring to USF, he continued to achieve in the classroom while receiving Dean’s List honors for being among the top percent of transfer students. He achieved this while a member of the USF men’s basketball program.

Joshua A. Lovelace is the Team Manager in the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships at USF

St. Petersburg. He is a USF graduate with a B.A. in both Criminology and Psychology (2012), and a M.A. in Criminology (2014). His research interests include factors affecting police use of force and green criminology.

Joshua served eight years in the United States Army and left the service holding the rank of Sergeant. He deployed three times to Iraq and Afghanistan for a total of two years. He earned numerous awards and decorations including the Army Achievement Medal, Army Commendation Ribbon, Joint Service Commendation Medal, Joint Service Achievement Medal, Iraq and Afghanistan Campaign Medals, NATO Medal, Meritorious Unit Citation and the Order of the Spur.

Joshua intends to begin working towards an M.A. in Cybersecurity at USF, specializing in Cyber Intelligence or Digital Forensics. His goal is to use both his military experience and education to continue to proudly serve his country.

Dr. Nicholas M. Perez is an Assistant Professor in the School of Criminology, Criminal Justice, and Emergency Management in the College of Health and Human Services at California State University, Long Beach (CSULB). He received his Ph.D. in Criminology from USF in 2016. Prior to completing his doctoral degree, Nicholas earned his M.S. in Criminal Justice (2012) and B.A. in Sociology (2010) from the University of Central Florida. Dr. Perez is currently working as a project evaluator for the Long Beach Police Department on a grant aimed to strengthen law enforcement and community relations.

Dr. Perez's main research interests include the development of delinquent behavior related to childhood trauma, policing, and bullying/hazing violence. His dissertation examined the role of childhood trauma in the development of adolescent violent behavior in Florida. In the past few years, he had articles accepted for publication in Child Abuse and Neglect, Journal of Youth and Adolescence, Journal of Criminal Justice Education, and the Security Journal.

Joan A. Reid, Ph.D., LMHC, CRC is an Assistant Professor in the Criminology Program at the USF St. Petersburg. Dr. Reid earned a Ph.D. in Criminology in 2010 and a M.A. in Rehabilitation and Mental Health Counseling in 2004 from USF.

Dr. Reid has worked with key community partners to conduct research on sex trafficking of teens throughout Florida. Contributing to a federally-funded national research project in 2007, she evaluated services available to adolescents exploited in sex trafficking, highlighting the need for victim-centered protocols and specialized services. In 2012, the American Psychology-Law Society funded her research on trauma bonding in trafficked youth aimed at informing treatment practices addressing the long-term psychological consequences of sex trafficking. This year, she collaborated with community partners to develop and field test a peer-to-peer sex trafficking prevention campaign using social media. Dr. Reid has authored over 30 scholarly articles, books, book chapters, and research reports.

Chief Bob Siwik has been a part of USF since 1966, graduating with a B.A. in Criminal Justice in 1972. During this time, he also served three years in the Army’s 82nd Airborne Division, and in Vietnam. He served 30 years as a police officer, starting as a deputy sheriff in Hillsborough County, then joining USF Police, and finally retiring as Chief of the USF St. Petersburg Police/Public Safety Department in 2004.

While working at USF, Chief Siwik completed Masters degrees in both Criminal Justice and Public Administration, and also attended the FBI Mini Academy (Executive Development Course). He taught as an adjunct instructor in Criminal Justice and Management.

In retirement, Chief Siwik developed the detailed Keystone Emergency Operation Plan and went on to initiate and direct a Mock Missing Children Exercise in 2011. Additionally he is a coordinator of his local Neighborhood Crime Watch and the USF St. Petersburg Retired Faculty Staff Association (RSFA).

Dr. Mieczkowski received his Ph.D. from Wayne State University in 1985. His research and academic interests have included drugs, theories or syndicated crime organizations and survey methods.

Dr. Mieczkowski has published over 100 scholarly articles, book chapters, and three books: Drugs, Crime, and Social Policy, Drug Testing Methods: Assessment and Evaluation, and most recently Drug Testing in Correctional Settings: Guidelines for Effective Use. Dr. Mieczkowski has received more one million dollars in research funding. He is the editor of the International Journal of Drug Testing.

Dr. Mieczkowski has consulted for numerous federal agencies and private corporations. Dr. Mieczkowski has lectured internationally, including invited lectures at the Royal Society of Medicine in London, the National Youth Center in Tokyo, and to a consortium of police executives in the United Arab Emirates. He served on the boards of the Stapleford Charitable Trust in Great Britain, and the Stapleford Foundation in the United States. He is a former board member of the Hair Research Society and as an invited member of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration committee on standards and practices for hair analysis.

Felix Vega graduated from USF with a B.A. in Criminology in 1997. He went on to get his J.D. at the University of Florida in 2000. He started his law career as an Assistant State Attorney for Broward County, briefly spent time as a Criminal Defense Attorney and returned to service as an Assistant State Attorney for the 13th Judicial Circuit for the past 13 years.

In 2009, Felix returned to get an Associate’s Degree in Radio, Television, and Broadcast at HCC. His internship at FOX 13 News kick started his career as a journalist and legal analyst, giving on-air reports for FOX 13, 970 WFLA and NewsChannel 8 since 2011. From 2012-2015 Felix taught as an adjunct instructor in HCC’s Paralegal Program. He is a frequent speaker at law schools and universities including USF’s Crime and Justice in America class.

Felix is being recognized for his assistance in the development and design the department’s Criminology Summer Experience program to encourage high school students to pursue careers in the criminal justice field.