Dr. Michael Birzer built his first career in law enforcement, rising through the ranks of the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Department while quietly discovering a deeper passion for research and education. That unexpected interest helped him launch a second career shaped by a relentless drive to understand and improve the relationship between law enforcement and the communities they serve.
“I realized I loved college, and when I started getting involved in research, everything just clicked,” said Birzer, a professor in Wichita State’s Cohen Honors College and the School of Criminal Justice.
That realization led him to pursue a doctoral degree in Oklahoma while working full-time in law enforcement, commuting several times a week to complete his studies. Eventually, Birzer made the leap into higher education, joining Wichita State in 2004.