​(Santa Ana, CA)— Rancho Santiago Community College District (RSCCD) Board of Trustees swore in 10 armed senior district safety officers to the RSCCD Safety and Security Department at its regular board meeting on Monday, June 25.

The new safety officers will be responsible for maintaining the safety and security of students, staff and visitors at all RSCCD locations. They will investigate criminal and non-criminal incidents on campus and at the district’s educational centers, and will use community oriented policing standards to work to deter and prevent any unlawful behavior as appropriate within a community college environment.

Five of the officers have been assigned to Santa Ana College (SAC), while three will serve Santiago Canyon College (SCC) and two will be part of district’s Centennial Education Center (CEC) security team. All officers worked within the district prior to their appointment.

Keith Benjamin, Tim Herndon, Daniel Martinez, Edgar Quinonez and Tom Urbina will join safety officers at SAC.

Benjamin joined RSCCD in September 2017 as a reserve officer after spending his career with Chandler Arizona Police Department as an officer and sergeant and with the Orange County Sheriff’s Department as a deputy. With a master’s degree in educational leadership and a teaching credential, Benjamin will bring his extensive experience in patrol, major crimes, narcotics and police tactics to SAC.

Herndon has been part of the RSCCD full-time safety officer staff since 2006, and has utilized his significant security training throughout previous positions within various campus security departments.

Martinez began his employment with RSCCD as a part-time officer in 2013. He possesses a broad range of safety and security training and supervisory skills. Martinez holds a bachelor’s degree and is fluent in Spanish.

Quinonez became a member of the RSCCD safety team in 2011. With a completed police academy under his belt, Quinonez has served as a full-time district safety officer and worked in security prior to his career with the district. He is a certified member of the RSCCCD bike patrol team and is fluent in Spanish.

Urbina, a graduate of the Orange County Sheriff’s Regional Training Academy and former member of the Costa Mesa Police Department, has been with RSCCD since 2012. Urbina is part of RSCCD’s certified bike patrol team and will bring his broad safety training to his new role. He holds bachelor’s degree and is fluent in Spanish.

SCC will welcome Scott Greenhalgh, Joseph Lordanich and Tiffany Tingirides.

Greenhalgh has been with the district as a full-time safety officer since 2013. A former member of the North Wales Police Department in the U.K., Greenhalgh has attended a Module III academy as well as obtained a wide range of safety and security training. He holds an associate degree and is a member of the district’s safety bike team.

Lordanich joined the district in 2013 as a full-time safety officer and brings his vast knowledge of the campus environment to his new role. He previously served as an interim sergeant, worked at RSCCD all campus locations and was one of the first officers assigned to the Remington Education Center.

Tingirides was sworn in as a district reserve officer in September 2017. Her extensive law enforcement training, including executive protection and community policing, served her in her previous roles as an armed security officer at Saddleback Church and with the Los Angeles Police Department as an officer and investigator.

Finally, CEC will welcome Alfonso Escobar and Chris Luzader to its team.

Escobar has been a part-time officer with the district since 2014 and has worked in a variety of safety and security jobs. Having completed the Orange County Sheriff’s Regional Training Academy as a member of the Costa Mesa Police Department, Escobar has a broad range of training and supervisory experience. He holds a bachelor’s degree and is fluent in Spanish.

Luzader, a first sergeant in the California National Guard, has been a full-time district safety officer since 2015. A 30-year military veteran serving in the Marines and Army, Luzader is certified to teach firearms and tactics, and has served in a security role in both the public and private sector.

All the officers have completed training, a psychological evaluation, background check, written assessment and interview. They will qualify on a regular basis and continue to develop their skills through ongoing advanced officer training.

Following extensive research to assess the state of preparation by RSCCD for public safety threats conducted by the RSCCD Public Safety Task Force in 2014, it was recommended that the district transition to a hybrid force, including armed and non-armed officers. With these new armed officers, there are now 17 armed officers who provide public safety services district-wide.

For more information on RSCCD’s District Safety and Security Department, visit
www.rsccd.edu/Security-and-Public-Safety

 About Rancho Santiago Community College District
Santa Ana College and Santiago Canyon College are public community colleges of the Rancho Santiago Community College District, which serves the residents of Anaheim Hills, Orange, Santa Ana, Villa Park, and portions of Anaheim, Costa Mesa, Irvine, Fountain Valley, Garden Grove, and Tustin. Both colleges provide education for academic transfer and careers, courses for personal and professional development, and customized training for business and industry.

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