Benedictine Alum Terrance Gainer ’69 in Demand for professional insight into DC Situation

Thursday, January 7, 2021

Terrance Gainer on MSNBC

Terrance W. Gainer, a Benedictine College alumnus from the Class of ’69, has been in demand over the last few days as media seek insight into how protests in Washington, D.C., rose to such catastrophic levels inside the United States Capitol Building. Gainer, who has had a distinguished career in law enforcement, served as the chief of the Capitol Police from 2002 to 2006 and as the U.S. Senate Sergeant at Arms from 2007 to 2014. Those positions put him in a prime position to comment on the standard security procedures in the city and within the Capitol Building itself.

“I wouldn’t have bet a million dollars that would have been so easily done,” he told NPR of the breach.

Gainer has appeared on numerous radio and television reports, including CBS, NBC, MSNBC, C-SPAN, NPR and FOX. Speaking from his home office, you can clearly see his Benedictine College diplomas in the background and in some cases he has been wearing a Benedictine jacket, clearly expressing his pride in his alma mater.

“Terry Gainer has distinguished himself in many roles in public service, enriched by his Benedictine education and fortified by our Catholic values,” said Benedictine College President Stephen D. Minnis.

Gainer graduated from St. Benedict’s College, now Benedictine College, with a degree in Sociology. He earned his Master of Science in Management of Public Service and Juris Doctor Degrees from DePaul University of Chicago. He started his career with the police force in Chicago, where he rose through the ranks as a homicide detective, sergeant and executive assistant in the Administrative Services Bureau.  An accomplished attorney who was admitted to the Illinois bar, Federal District Court and U.S. Supreme Court, he served as the chief legal officer of the Chicago Police Department from 1981 through 1984.

He is a decorated veteran who served as an advisor in Viet Nam and retired as a captain in the United States Naval Reserve in 2000, having served in a variety of command and staff positions as a Surface Warfare Officer. He received an honorary doctorate from Benedictine College in 2009.

He lives with his wife, Irene, in Chicago.

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