Judy Gerhardt
President, Rescue Lung Rescue Life Society
Judy Gerhardt is a proud 40 year veteran of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and retired at the rank of Commander assigned to Special Operations Division. Her duties included oversight of the Emergency Operations Bureau, the Special Enforcement Bureau, including SWAT, K9, and HazMat, the Transit Services Bureau, the Aero Bureau, the Criminal Intelligence Bureau and the Joint Regional Intelligence Center, as well as Budget and Personnel responsibilities for the Special Operations Division.
Commander Gerhardt’s decades of experience has covered assignments in Custody, Patrol, Risk Management, Human Resources and other specialized units. Commander Gerhardt’s career with the Sheriff’s Department began in 1980 as a public dispatcher at the Sheriff’s Radio Center. She graduated from the Sheriff’s Training Academy as a Deputy Sheriff in 1983. Her assignments included Sybil Brand Institute for Women, East Los Angeles Station and the Substance Abuse Narcotics Education (SANE) Bureau. She was promoted to Sergeant in 1992 and was assigned to Sybil Brand Institute for Women, Industry Station, Contract Law Enforcement Bureau and Executive Force Review Committee of Internal Affairs Bureau. After being promoted to Lieutenant in 2000, Commander Gerhardt was assigned to Norwalk Station, Court Services Central Bureau, Bureau of Labor Relations and Compliance and the Risk Management Bureau. She promoted to Captain in 2013 and was assigned to Risk Management Bureau and Personnel Administration. She promoted to the rank of Commander in 2016 and assigned to Special Operations Division until her retirement in 2020.
Commander Gerhardt holds a Bachelor of Science Degree from California State University, Long Beach and a Master of Arts Degree from Chapman University. She is a graduate of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s National Academy (FBINA) and the Cornell University Leadership Development Program. She is recognized as a National Collegiate Scholar for Scholarship, Leadership and Service. Commander Gerhardt is an active member of the Federal Bureau of Investigations National Academy Associates (FBINAA), the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), and the Fraternal Order of Police.
Commander Gerhardt comes from a family of law enforcement. She has a brother who is a retired LASD Lieutenant, another brother who is a retired Compton Police Department Lieutenant and her sister is a retired LASD Sergeant.
Commander Gerhardt resides in Orange County where she stays close with her three adult daughters, all of whom are college graduates; one of who works as a professional staff member with the County of Los Angeles, the other is a sales manager for a large technology company, and the youngest is a sales representative for the largest on-line retailer. In her spare time, Commander Gerhardt enjoys traveling, reading and the company of great friends.
