Press Conference for AJ’s New Pre-Academy Brings Media, Mayor, and Merritt College Community
Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf was one of the first to arrive at the press conference held on September 4 to announce the Administration of Justice’s new Law Enforcement Pre-Academy starting this fall. This 13-week series of courses is the brainchild of Margaret Dixon, head of the AJ Program, who is thrilled to see it finally happen and excited to have former OPD Police Chief Howard Jordan coordinating it and OPD and Sheriff’s Department personnel teaching in it. “This is a rare chance for potential police officers to get up to speed on the physical aspects and knowledge necessary to be successful in a police academy,” she says. “Our instructors offer decades of experience in the field to pass on to the students.”
Noting that it’s the only Pre-Academy of its kind in northern California, Mayor Libby Schaaf was the first to acknowledge how important it is to the community for Merritt to break down barriers to success for potential police officers. “We want to get more home-grown officers who can be compassionate and effective guardians of this community,” she said to the packed crowd of dignitaries, guests, visitors, the media, and Merritt faculty, staff and students in the Newton/Seale Conference Room. “We’re committed to increasing the number of officers who have connections to the communities they guard and look like the community.”
(Photos by Susan May of Merritt College and Peralta Colleges/Melissa Neal.)