Glendale Community College

About GCC

In 1926, higher education was reserved for a relative few, but farsighted citizens in Glendale recognized the need to open doors to academic and vocational instruction to a broader base of the community. As a result, Glendale citizens voted to form a community college, or junior college as it was then called, as part of the Glendale Unified School District.

The first semester, 139 students responded to the public notice that college classes were to be offered in the buildings of Glendale Union High School at Broadway and Verdugo. The college was an immediate success and by 1929 the student population increased to 435, with 27 faculty members.

Through the years Glendale Junior College continued to grow. It moved to the present site in 1937 with the support of a bond election and funds matched equally by a WPA grant. Total cost for purchase and construction of the new 59 acre site was $390,000.

In 1971, as the college became more responsive to the needs of the greater Glendale community, the Board of Education officially changed the name to Glendale Community College
District.

Fast forward to 2018 – Glendale Community College is a dynamic institution with more than 25,000 students. They are enrolled in college-credit at the Verdugo Campus, continuing education at the Garfield Campus, community services classes held throughout the community, and the Professional Development Center (PDC) located in Montrose. The college serves an ethnically diverse student body with no single group forming a majority.

The faculty has used its energy to develop a wide ranging curriculum intended to prepare students for the 21st century. Student services faculty provide invaluable academic, career, and financial counseling to students. Today the goal of those farsighted citizens of Glendale has been achieved. Higher education is available to all who come to Glendale Community College.

Glendale Community College District Police Department

he Glendale Community College Police Department’s mission is to ensure student success by providing public safety. We are located in the Sierra Madre Building Room 153 on the Verdugo Campus.  Open 7 days a week, the College Police Department is staffed by sworn Peace Officers, Communication and Records Specialists, and Cadets. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us.  Emergencies, crimes, and suspicious activities should be reported immediately.

Sincerely,

Gary J. Montecuollo
Chief of Police

Immigration Policy: 

The Glendale Community College District Police Dept. does not have jurisdiction or responsibility for the enforcement of federal immigration laws or deportation orders. As such, our College Police Dept. does not detain, question, or arrest any individual based on actual or suspected undocumented immigration status. The College Police Dept. is committed to serving and protecting all members of the college community.

Similarly, the College Police Dept. will not use its funds, facilities, equipment, or personnel for immigration enforcement. The College Police Dept. will not provide federal authorities with confidential information about any individual for immigration enforcement purposes that is restricted by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) or other privacy laws unless the District is required to respond to a lawfully issued judicial criminal warrant, administrative warrant, subpoena, or court order issued by a federal or state judge.

For more information on the District’s commitment to its diverse student population without regard to race, ethnicity, religion, national origin, immigration status, gender, disability, or any other protected classes under federal and state law, please refer to the District’s resolution here, non discrimination policy here and prohibition of harassment policy here.

About College Police

The police department operates 365 days a year. The police department is staffed by officers, dispatchers, and cadets. The department is an authorized terminal user of all local, regional, state and federal criminal justice information systems (e.g., wanted persons, DMV, stolen vehicles/property, criminal records, etc.).

Our goal is to provide timely and appropriate responses to community problems and needs. Police officers of the Glendale Community College Police Department are armed, duly sworn peace officers of the State of California . Empowered by section 830.32 of the California Penal Code, officers possess the same authority, and adhere to the same state-mandated standards, as municipal police officers. Therefore, under California law, the officers authority extends to any place in the State for the purpose of performing their primary duty or when making an arrest pursuant to Penal Code section 836, however, we concentrate our efforts on the campus and its immediate environment. Our department enjoys a positive and close working relationship with the City of Glendale Police Department, with whom we share proximity, mutual interests, and geographic jurisdiction.

GCCPD officers may work in uniform or plain-clothes. They provide a full range of police related services, including: primary emergency responses; preventative patrols; initial investigation of observed, reported, or suspected crimes; enforcement of all applicable laws; follow-up and specialized criminal investigations; crime prevention; community liaison and relations; VIP/dignitary protection; special event security; traffic activities (enforcement and accident investigations); parking enforcement; and, campus escorts of students, faculty, or staff.

Persons arrested by the GCCPD officers are processed in accordance with prevailing practices in Los Angeles County, which can include: Citation and release; booking into the City of Glendale Police Jail; filing of charges with, and prosecution through, the District Attorney’s Office; and formal trial. Additionally, GCC affiliates (student, faculty, staff) may be subject to additional (Administrative/Code of Conduct) sanctions.

The GCC Police Department also employs Police Records/Dispatch Specialists who provide valuable support services including but not limited to; handling emergency phone calls, providing police communication, providing customer and counter service, and maintaining police records and parking information. Dispatchers also work closely with campus officials on the annual AQMD report. Similarly, Police Cadets assist with parking, traffic, and student/employee escort services. Campus police cadets are students who also assist with observing and reporting suspected criminal activity.

Public Safety Presentations

The Glendale Community College District Police Department offers various trainings and presentations throughout the year including;

• Emergency Preparedness
• Campus Security Authority Training
• Dealing with Difficult People
• Campus Safety Orientation
• Dating Violence, Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and Stalking Primary & Ongoing Prevention and Awareness
• Evacuation Chair Use

These trainings and presentations are open to students and/or employees. Contact the GCC Police for additional information or to schedule a presentation for your class or department.