Cerritos College has announced Donald Mueller as the new Cerritos College Police Department captain, effective April 21.
Mueller, a recently retired Los Angeles County Sheriff lieutenant, has 30 years of law enforcement experience including work at the Community College Bureau.
Mueller will take on the role of captain, which according to Cerritos College PD Chief Tom Gallivan, is the “second in command” to the chief and “responsible for the day to day activities” of the department as well as the duties of Patrol Watch Commander.
Mueller will also be a part of the school’s C.A.I.R. Team and will be “responsible for the staffing and planning for any special events on campus,” Gallivan says.
The captain also plays the role of Chief when they are unavailable.
Mr. Mueller’s experience as Operations Lieutenant at the Community College Bureau saw him “overseeing the day to day operations of 175 at nine community colleges.”
This community college policing experience also means Mueller has an understanding of the Clery Act, the federal law requiring college’s receiving federal funds to report crime statistics in and around campus, as well as Title IX, the federal law prohibiting sex discrimination at federally funded schools.
The now-captain also has experience as a Peace Officer Standards and Training instructor in Cultural Awareness and Sexual Harassment.
Mueller is also, according to Chief Gallivan, a “nationally recognized instructor in Cultural Diversity.” Mueller is also a Hate Crimes Investigator instructor.
The Human Resources department carried out the search for candidates for the captain position.
They sought applications with proper experience and a “background [that] includes emergency management and working with students.”
All applicants are interviewed by a hiring committee made up of representatives from all sectors of Cerritos College.
The emphasis on emergency management is timely, considering the recent bomb threat made at Cerritos College.
Chief Gallivan laid out Mr. Mueller’s experience in emergency management and “disaster preparedness,” including his “5 years served as the Operations Chief at LA County’s Emergency Operations Center.”
Chief Gallivan says Cerritos College PD is “always looking for ways in which we can improve our communication and enhance our service to the campus community” and they are “excited to see what new ideas Captain Mueller brings to the table.”
Gallivan highlighted Mueller’s experience at the Community College Bureau, stating it “will be a major benefit to Cerritos College.”
Cerritos College President Jose Fierro appreciates the experience Mueller is bringing to the Cerritos campus, saying “Mr. Muller was the best-qualified candidate for the position of captain of Police” and that “his experience with community college students, equity, diversity, and inclusion made him the ideal candidate for the job.”
With the COVID pandemic forcing students and staff to work off-campus for the foreseeable future, the new captain will seemingly have plenty of time to learn the ins and outs of his position before students return to campus.
