Police Services — Operations

The Contra Costa Community College District Police Department consists of sworn and professional non-sworn employees whose purpose is to provide internal support to the organization, and more importantly external support to members of the community.

Please click on an operational division to learn more:

• ADMINISTRATION DIVISION

• PATROL DIVISION

• INVESTIGATIONS DIVISION

• COMMUNICATIONS DIVISION

• RECORDS

• PARKING DIVISION

• POLICE AIDE PROGRAM

ADMINISTRATION DIVISION

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Our Chief of Police manages the operation districtwide and works directly under the Executive Vice Chancellor of Administrative Services. Each campus has a Police Lieutenant in charge of police and parking operations on their respective campus. Please contact us anytime we can be of assistance.

Contra Costa Community College District Police Services Department

Chief of Police - Interim

Lt. Ryan Huddleston

Phone: (925) 473-7328

e-mail: rhuddleston@4cd.edu

Please note that Lt. Huddleston is still handling the day-to-day operations at Los Medanos College and Brentwood Center.

Contra Costa College Station

Lt. Charles Hankins

Phone: (510) 215-4857

e-mail: chankins@4cd.edu

Diablo Valley College Station and San Ramon Campus Station

Lt. Kathryn McDonald

Phone: (925) 686-5547

e-mail: kmcdonald@4cd.edu

PATROL DIVISION

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Our officers have full powers of arrest and as sworn peace officers, they enforce local, state and federal laws both on and off campus, working closely with surrounding police jurisdictions to keep our communities safe. Our officers are vested with law enforcement powers pursuant to California Penal Code Section 830.32(a) and California Education Code Section 72330. Patrol officers work a variety of patrol assignments. These assignments include bicycle patrol, foot patrol, and vehicle patrol.

Police Officers employed by the District meet all training requirements as mandated by the California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training. Each Police Officer has graduated from a regional police academy and completed a rigorous field-training program.

Each police officer continually trains in various areas of law enforcement to include crime prevention, sexual assault investigation, emergency preparedness and response, evidence collection, and more. They also attend countywide and statewide police planning and training meetings and conferences. All officers receive specific training designed to meet the diverse needs of the educational community. Law enforcement duties and responsibilities of police officers are similar to municipal police departments or county sheriff departments in your home community.

Bike Patrol

In an effort to provide the highest level of service to the community we serve, we created the bike patrol assignment to bridge a gap between police officers on foot patrol and on vehicle patrol. Bike patrol officers present an increased level of service as they are highly visible and vastly mobile.

INVESTIGATIONS DIVISION

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The Investigations Unit is located at Diablo Valley College campus police station and oversees all investigations throughout the district. There is one full-time Detective that handles a variety of assignments such as:

• Criminal Investigations

• Subpoenas

• Warrants

• Megan's Law

• Victims Resources

• Training management

If you have any questions or seek additional information about a case we are investigating, please contact Lt. Kathryn McDonald at kmcdonald@4cd.edu.

COMMUNICATIONS DIVISION

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The district communication centers are operated by California Peace Officers Standards and Training (P.O.S.T.) Certified Public Safety Dispatchers. Our dispatchers serve as the link between those in need of help and emergency services personnel.

The communications center at each location operates at different hours. Contact Us for more information.

To learn more about the Communications Division, please click on a link below.

• Reporting

• Records

• Lost and Found

RECORDS

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Our Communications Unit maintains all Department documents, reports, citations, and statistical information and data. The Communications Unit distributes certain reports to the public and to various law enforcement agencies, such as the FBI, DOJ, and the Chancellor’s Office. The unit adheres to strict standards of confidentiality.

HOW TO OBTAIN A RECORD:

To obtain police records, please complete a CCCCD PD Records Request Form. This form can be found online or you may request a copy of the form at the CCCCD PD front lobby desk. A $10 processing fee in the form of cash, check or credit card must be paid at the campus Cashier’s Office. You will need to provide your receipt and current government issued photo identification card to pick up the police report copy.

The Report Request Application Form may also be submitted via mail, along with a $10 check or money order payable to The Contra Costa Community College District Police Department. If you choose to mail your request, you must have it notarized so we can verify your identity. A response will be mailed to you within 10-days.

You may call the campus police to check the status of your report request and confirm if the report qualifies for release. However, please allow 10-days for your request to be researched and mailed. You must be an “involved party” or a parent of a minor child in order to obtain a copy of a police report or traffic accident report. An “involved party” includes the victim, reporting party, party mentioned, driver, registered owner, etc. If the case involves an arrest, the report may not be releasable until the case has been adjudicated. You will be required to present identification to verify you are an “involved party.”

Your report may be redacted (blacked out) or have missing pages. Redactions are specifically required by law and policy, which we are unable to circumvent. Typically, property crimes will only indicate the damaged property, lost or stolen articles and the value of the loss for insurance company purposes. The investigative portion of the report is not released in order to protect the integrity of the investigation.

PARKING DIVISION

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All persons parking on any of the campuses in the Contra Costa Community College District must have a valid permit displayed on their vehicle. To avoid a citation, please take care to park only in authorized spaces on the college campus with a valid permit properly displayed. This is a summary of District Parking Policies. Detailed information, including faculty/staff and student lot locations, are available from the District Police Office on each campus.

How do I purchase a permit?

Students registering for classes using Insite will have the opportunity to pay for the semester parking permit. Information has already been placed on the Insite landing page indicating this new feature. A link has been included in Insite after the student completes the process of registering for classes.

Everyone who parks on campus must have a valid permit. If you do not have a valid semester permit displayed on the car parked on campus, you are required to purchase and display a daily permit. Daily permits are available via the webpage mycampuspermit.com. If you plan on attending a campus, you can purchase your daily permit in advance.

How much does a permit cost?

Student parking permits are required for Fall, Spring and Summer semesters. Fall and Spring permits are $48.00 for cars and trucks, and $30.00 for motorcycles and mopeds. Summer permits are $25.00 for cars and trucks, and $15.00 for motorcycles and mopeds. Daily permits, good only in student lots, may be purchased from dispensers in various lots for $3.00

Semester permits can now be purchased through the new Parking Management Bureau app or website.

Students who qualify for the Board of Governor's Fee Waiver will pay $25.00 for cars and trucks.

Fines for parking citations are $40.00

Where do I park?

Students may park only in the lots designated as student lots. A map of the campus and the location of these lots may be obtained from the District Police.

Do I need to display my permit?

All permits must be displayed in plain view with all numbers and markings clearly visible It is the responsibility of the driver to have the permit displayed.

What is the fine for a citation?

Failure to properly display your permit will result in a citation. Purchase and/or possession of a permit does not authorize parking on college facilities unless the permit is correctly displayed on the vehicle. The fine for illegal parking without a permit is $40.00.

Do you have a grace period?

A grace period for student parking permits is allowed for the first week of each semester and not when a student’s class begins. No citations are issued for vehicles properly parked in marked student spaces during this period. Vehicles illegally parked in staff, disabled, no parking, or other restricted areas are subject to citation at all times.

Can I pay my parking citation on-line?

Information on how to pay can be found on the back of the paper citation. All citations can be paid here, by entering your license plate number or citation number.

• Parking Ticket Disputes

  The right to dispute a parking ticket is outlined in California Vehicle Code section 40215. The appeal process is designed to address tickets that were issued in error or when the dismissal of a ticket is in the interest of justice. A ticket appeal must be filled out in all cases. We cannot "take tickets back" or void them in the field, even if the ticket was issued in error.

  Please review the reasons that tickets will not be dismissed. If you are appealing for one of these reasons, carefully review the parking regulations to avoid future tickets.

  Parking fines must be paid or a dispute must be filed within 21 days of the issuance of a ticket or 14 days of the mailing of a notice of delinquent parking violation. Failure to pay or dispute a ticket within 21 days will lead to an increase in the fine and your vehicle registration will be held by the DMV.

• First Level Dispute

  Disputes may be filed online only. The appeal must be submitted within 21 calendar days from the date of the ticket or 14 days after the mailing of a notice of delinquent parking violation to receive consideration.

  The hearing officer will consider only the information contained in your dispute. Be thorough and detailed regarding the circumstances of your violation and why you feel the citation should be dismissed. If you have a parking decal or other permit, or if your citation involves the use of a California Disabled Placard, please include the number or a copy of these items. Failure to supply necessary documentation or the exclusion of relevant facts may lead to the denial of your appeal.

  Parking Services will only consider disputes filed by the driver of the vehicle or the registered owner. Disputes are considered in the order they are received. You will notified by e-mail or mail of the result. It will typically take four to six weeks, however, during peak times (the beginning of a semester, for example), appeals may take longer. Do not pay your fine until you have received the result of your hearing.

• Second Level Dispute (Judicial Hearing)

  If you are not satisfied with the outcome of the First Level Review, you may further appeal your case to the Contra Costa County Superior Court Civil Division. You must file within 30 days of your Administrative Hearing (per 40230 CVC). The court will charge a fee to file the case. You are responsible for all court fees until the case is heard. If you are successful in your dispute, SSU must refund your court filing fees and the cost of the parking ticket.

  If you do not file your claim with the court within the required 30 day period, the outcome of your Administrative Hearing is final. Additionally, any decision by the court is final.

What if I have a question about a citation I have received?

You can reach the Parking Management Bureau Customer Service Center at 1-800-700-4417.

General reasons that violations will not be dismissed:

Below are some commonly listed reasons given for violating parking regulations. While these reasons may seem valid to the violator, they do not address the laws of the State and the College. These reasons generally will NOT result in the violations being dismissed, or the violator being successful in a hearing.

1. Short Errands: No errand, no matter how short or how important to the driver short of a bona fide medical emergency, is an acceptable excuse for illegal parking. A short errand is a very common excuse. It is not a valid reason for illegal parking.

2. Late For Business Or Personal Appointment: Being late does not permit the driver the privilege of parking illegally.

3. No Place Else To Park - The Lot Was Full: Other than being an invalid excuse, this, in fact, confirms the driver's liability. It is every driver's responsibility to locate legal parking.

4. I Didn't See The Sign - I Didn't Understand The Sign: Drivers are required to look for signs when parking. This may mean checking an entire lot from corner to corner. Drivers are also required to abide by the directions on the sign. A person indicating that they did not see a sign preventing parking is not an acceptable excuse.

5. Only Part Of My Car Was Illegally Parked: A violation is not based on a certain percentage of the vehicle being illegally parked. If part of the vehicle extends into a restricted area, the violation is the same as if the entire vehicle encroached.

6. I Left Someone In The Car; I Left My Parking Lights On Or Blinking; I Left A Note In The Car As To My Whereabouts With The Motor Running: Many drivers seem to think that evidence of a short stay mitigates the offense. It does not. The purpose of parking regulations is to restrict from certain places or permitted at times, motor vehicles which are not in motion. The presence of a passenger, a sign or blinking lights does not satisfy this purpose and, therefore, does not constitute a valid reason to dismiss a violation.

7. It Was Only A Few Minutes: This explanation is one of the most common claims. Even if true, parking in a prohibited area is illegal.

8. Nobody Else Got A Ticket: Sometimes this excuse is raised as discriminatory enforcement. The officer may have had to leave the area before checking all the vehicles, however, a citation stands on its own.

9. Someone Else Had My Car: Under the new law, the registered owner (R.O.) has joint responsibility with whoever was driving their car. Unless it can be shown by the R.O. that the car was driven without permission, the R.O., renter or lessee is responsible for a parking citation.

10. An Official Saw Me Park And Didn't Say Anything - Or Said It Was OK For A Few Minutes: Generally speaking, employees have no authority to give permission to break the law. Whenever possible, an officer will caution about illegal parking, but silence by an official does not waive parking restrictions.

11. This Violation Has Not Been Enforced In The Past: This normally is not the case, however, inadequate staffing or other priorities may give rise to violations not being enforced continually; but, nowhere does apparent failure to enforce parking laws constitute a valid excuse for illegal parking.

12. I've Done It For Years - Everybody Does It: This is never a valid excuse for illegally parking. Nobody should be rewarded for getting away with prior violations.

POLICE AIDE PROGRAM

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Student Police Aides are the Contra Costa Community College District Police Department’s goodwill ambassadors, providing exemplary community-focused services.

These exceptional Aides act as a liaison between the campus community and the Police Department. The Police Aide program is not only designed to increase the level of customer service provided to our students, faculty and staff, but to also reinforce the general public safety provided by the Police Department. This program is open to all students.

Police Aides observe and report, aid and assist to provide excellence in protection and service to the college community.

Duties many include, but are not limited to the following:

• Foot Patrol of college property.

• Issuance of citations for violations of college parking rules and regulations.

• Assist sworn officers with traffic control.

• Observe and report suspicious activity.

Minimum Qualifications

Education and Requirements for Employment:

• Completion or equivalent to completion of the twelfth (12th) grade.

• Must be a registered student currently enrolled in at least six (6) units (spring and fall semesters) or three (3) units (summer semester).

We offer competitive pay, flexible schedules, training and mentorship, and advancement opportunities. Apply today!