Dustin Dodd was born and raised in the heart of the Central Valley of California in Clovis. He graduated in four years from California State University, Fresno with a Bachelor of Science in Criminology with an emphasis in Law Enforcement and a Bachelor of Science in Psychology. He also attended California State University, Long Beach where he graduated with a Master’s in Public Administration.
He has worked as a police officer in the Central Valley in a region with nearly three-quarter million residents since 2001. The region is famous for its easy access to Yosemite National Park, the Fresno State Bulldogs and its agriculture. He met his wife Jenny in 2002 while she was a manager of a well-known coffee chain.
Dodd has served his community as a patrolman, K9 handler, DUI officer, high-technology computer forensic analyst, homicide detective, crime scene investigator, Explosive Ordnance Disposal Bomb Technician and Explosive Breacher for the SWAT Team. He is currently a supervisor for Patrol and still serves on the Bomb Squad and as an Explosive Breacher for SWAT.
Dodd has kept records of the true events he investigated over the years. Many of the incidents he was involved in, from search warrants to bombings, are stranger than fiction ever could be. It was from his exploits as a K9 handler, Bomb Squad Technician, SWAT Breacher, and Detective that he crafted “Savage Justice,” his first novel with several more on the way.
Dodd served on the street with his K9 partner Kota for over four years. Kota’s original name was Justice but his name needed to be changed for training to a monosyllabic name to effectively give him commands during critical incidents. Dodd still serves his community to this day.