Astute college journalists raise concerns at Peralta

Congratulations to the reporters at Peralta Community College District’s student newspaper for their eyeopening reports on the shortfalls in the school’s new $ 6.2 million a year, communitybased security plan — that’s $ 2.4 million more than the school is paying now.

The plan, which has been at the center of the debate over how to reimagine policing, is intended to prevent potential conflicts by replacing Alameda County sheriff’s deputies handling security at the system’s four junior colleges with unarmed patrols and mental health workers.

“The district listened to the concerns voiced by students, faculty and community members

who desired to find a solution to campus safety that did not include armed police patrols,” Peralta spokesman Mark Johnson said.

The firms selected for the new, unarmed security patrols starting Jan. 1 were Marina Security Services, Community Ready Corps and Zulu Community Protection.

The new plan covers Laney College and Merritt College in Oakland and the College of Alameda. Berkeley City College is already under contract with A1 Protective Services.

However, a review of state records by Citizen reporters David Rowe and Pamela Rudd found that only Marina Security Services and A1 Protective Services had stateissued Private Patrol Operator licenses, as required by the contract.

The Citizen was not able to find licenses for Community Ready Corps or Zulu Community Protection.

In an email exchange, Zulu owner and CEO Robert Dabney told the Citizen his firm is working out a relationship with a subcontractor who holds a patrol operator license and he believed the arraignment would satisfy the Peralta requirement.

Interesting to note that the Pertalta contract with the nonprofit Community Ready Corps did not require a patrol license.

“We have asked Peralta officials twice now about the absence of the condition for a license in Community Ready Corps contract, and they have not responded,” Rowe said.

Johnson told us he has not not been able to get that question answered.

“I don't know why the contracts are different,” he said. “The vendors need the PPO license in order to provide the patrol service, and they need to provide the patrol service to be paid.”

At the Dec. 14 meeting of the Peralta Community College District Governing Board, the same day the Citizen story appeared, new board Vice President Nicky Gonzalez Yuen asked interim Chancellor Carla Walter whether the administration was sure the security firms being approved “met all the necessary licensing requirements and other legal requirements to engage in the public contract that we’re about to vote on.”

Walter assured the board that the administration had done the “appropriate due diligence,” but then admitted that the district had not yet confirmed such items as workers’ compensation and insurance, which she described as “the next step” in the process. Trustee Dyana Delfín Polk asked Walter if there was a “Plan B” if the vendors failed to meet the district’s standards. Walter said she “felt very strongly that a Plan B won’t be necessary” but said she would check back with the board to should that situation arise.

Johnson said that all of the firms will have the necessary credentials before they start patrolling next month.

Another issue is the plan’s mental health component.

“They spent so much on security that they don’t have money for mental health workers,” reporter Rowe said.

School officials said the new plan includes $ 250,000 to hire four parttime mental health crisis specialists. One for each of the four campuses.

“We’re viewing this as a pilot and if we find we need more money for counseling, we’ll adjust accordingly in the future budget,” Johnson said.

Despite concerns raised by the Citizen about the safety plan, the board of trustees voted to approve the contracts for Zulu Community Protection, Marina Security Services and the Community Ready Corps.

As is often the case, there was a bit of insider politics at play.

According to the Citizen, newly elected board President Cindy Napoli Abella Reiss recused herself from the vote on the $ 2.1 million Community Ready Corps contract since she endorsed and donated money to Affect Real Change, the nonprofit that runs the Community Ready Corps, and to the campaign of its former CEO, Carroll Fife, who was recently elected to a seat on the Oakland City Council.

The current contract with Alameda County Sheriff’s Department expires Dec. 31, leaving only two weeks for the school to begin the transition.

As for reaction to the student’s stories, “we’re really proud of the awardwinning student reporting of the Peralta Citizen,” Johnson said.

San Francisco Chronicle columnist Phil Matier appears Sundays and Wednesdays. Matier can be seen on the KGOTV morning and evening news and can also be heard on KCBS radio Monday through Friday at 7: 50 a. m. and 5: 50 p. m. Got a tip? Call 4157778815, or email pmatier@sfchronicle.com. Twitter: @ philmatier

Jessica Christian / The Chronicle 2018 The Peralta Community College District’s board has approved a new security arrangement for its schools, which include Laney College in Oakland.