About

In the 1970’s the California Community College system was charged with delivering public safety courses and developing public safety programs in an effort to better educate and train employed and aspiring law enforcement students. This resulted in Administration of Justice and Criminal Justice programs as Certificate, Associate Degrees, and over time Bachelor Degrees throughout the CCC, CSU and UC systems. At the time the CCC Chancellor’s Office established Advisory Committees for the various workforce sectors to assist in identifying industry needs and changes, as wells as encourage industry engagement in the educational process. Supported through Perkin’s Funding, the Advisory structure successfully met the needs of the CCC System and its students.

The Advisory structure evolved into a Sector Navigator structure under the CCCCO Doing What Matters campaign in the early 2010s. The Chancellor's Office identified the Sectors they felt were priorities and funded both Statewide Navigators and Regional Navigators within those sectors. Public Safety was not prioritized but continued to be funded as an Advisory Committee. By 2015-16, Public Safety was the last-committee standing but Committee funding was diminishing as was the connection with the Chancellor's Office. The Committee began championing the need for representation within the new structure, which subsequently became Sector Directors.

In the absence of a Public Safety Director in the San Francisco-Monterey Bay Region, a Public Safety Regional Joint Venture was created and funded using Strong Workforce Funds beginning 2017. The PS RJV supported identified regional needs for all collegiate public safety programs, and continues to work to address regional and statewide needs and issues.

In 2021, the Chancellor's Office asked each Community College Regional Consortia to re-envision their structure including which Sectors were a priority in their specific region. The Bay Area Colleges (BACCC) felt Public Safety was important and subsequently implemented the Regional Directorship. The Public Safety Regional Director works closely with the PS RJV to support current and new PS programs at the 28 Bay Region Community Colleges.