Sheriff Livingston began his career with the Fremont Police Department in 1987.  After graduating with honors from the University of California at Santa Barbara with a B.A. in Law & Society, Sheriff Livingston joined Fremont Police and attended the Oakland Police Academy.   He served as an officer, sergeant, lieutenant and then captain before being selected to lead the City of Pleasant Hill Police Department as Chief of Police.  He served in that capacity for about three years before being appointed Chief of Police for the City of Concord.  Concord is the county's largest city and Sheriff Livingston served over five years there.

Sheriff Livingston earned his law degree from the USF School of Law and is a licensed attorney admitted to practice in both the state and federal courts.  He is the past chair of the Contra Costa County Chiefs Association and was a Board Member on the California Police Chiefs Association.  He is a past member of the Pleasant Hill Rotary and past Chair of the Mt. Diablo YMCA local board of directors.  Sheriff Livingston is also a graduate of the FBI National Academy, a graduate of the California Peace Officer Command College and served three years on the California State Bar's Judicial Nominee Evaluation Commission, (this commission reviews and evaluates all judicial candidates before appointment by the Governor).  He also represented the California Police Chiefs Association on the League of Cities Pension Reform Task Force.

Former Sheriff Warren Rupf said this of Sheriff Livingston during the campaign, "I enthusiastically support Chief Livingston as our next Sheriff.  He has a record of achievement, a commitment to professionalism and the respect of the community he serves."