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A longtime New Jersey police official has taken the reins as the new director of police, safety and emergency services for the Contra Costa Community College District.
The appointment of Edward Carney was announced earlier this month as the district, which oversees local community colleges including the Diablo Valley College (DVC) San Ramon Campus, continues efforts to also find a new chancellor and a new DVC president.
“I have the unique background of being law enforcement but then having a substantial number of years in community college work that really focuses on community policing,” Carney said in a news release. “Now, I can focus on the community and relationship sides of policing. It’s about outreach; it’s about listening; it’s about trust and visibility.”
Carney worked the past decade as executive director of public safety and facilities with Camden Community College in New Jersey, where his department “became a model for operations and customer service industries in the region,” Contra Costa district officials said.
Carney also spent 25 years with the Cherry Hill Police Department in New Jersey and has more than 30 years of police training under his belt, along with experience teaching online and at the community college level on subjects such as community policing, terrorism and administration of justice.
“His extensive background in police training, education and public safety is a wonderful combination of skills and experience that will ensure our campuses remain safe environments for our students, staff and surrounding communities,” district chancellor Helen Benjamin said in a statement.
Benjamin’s position as the Contra Costa district’s top administrator is among the high-leadership spots the district’s governing board is still working to fill amid pending retirements. DVC president Peter Garcia also announced earlier this year that he’ll soon be stepping down.
Chancellor for nearly 11 years, Benjamin revealed two months ago that she planned to retire effective Dec. 31.
A Louisiana native, Benjamin joined the district 25 years ago as dean of language arts, humanistic studies and related occupations at Pittsburg’s Los Medanos College.
She moved up in the district over her tenure, reaching positions such as vice chancellor of educational programs and services, interim Los Medanos president and president of Contra Costa College in San Pablo before becoming chancellor in 2005.
District board members, who accepted her resignation letter Feb. 24, noted Benjamin’s impact on all three main campuses during her time as chancellor, which included dips in state funding as well as local voters approving $736 million in bond measures in 2006 and 2014.
Benjamin was also at the helm when the DVC San Ramon Campus opened in the Dougherty Valley in November 2006.
There’s been a common thread to Benjamin’s work, board secretary Tim Farley said: “The No. 1 concern for Helen is always, ‘How is this going to impact students?'”
“She has always been a leader who wanted to make sure our success and accomplishments were done as a team,” board president Vicki Gordon added.
The board has approved a process for recruiting candidates for the upcoming chancellor vacancy with the goal of having the new officeholder in position to start work Jan. 1, according to district officials.
Meanwhile, the district is also searching for a new leader of DVC, with Garcia announcing last month that he would retire effective June 30 after working 30 years for the district.
The board is accepting applications through May 2 for an interim DVC president to serve for one year while the district works to find a permanent leader through a national search, officials said.
Garcia’s tenure in the district included serving eight years as Los Medanos president. He also worked as vice president of academic and student affairs, dean of economic development, dean of humanistic studies, faculty researcher, philosophy instructor and offensive line football coach.
“I’m incredibly grateful for opportunities and people that both DVC and LMC brought to my life over these many years,” Garcia said in a statement.
“Peter has made a lasting impact on thousands of students and many employees as well as the communities served by the district during his tenure,” Benjamin added. “He will surely be missed and fondly remembered as a leader who cared deeply about our students.”
