‘We can’t do it alone’: A conversation with Oakland Unified’s first director of safety

Nelson Alegria has always wanted to work in public safety. He went to a police academy high school and became a cadet with the Los Angeles Police Department, but quickly learned that law enforcement officers who work with young people needed a different, more empathetic approach.

In July, after a career leading safety and emergency preparedness efforts for Alameda County’s Office of Education and the Pittsburg Unified School District, he became the Oakland Unified School District’s first executive director of safety . Seven weeks into the new school year, The Oaklandside sat down with Alegria to hear how he’s trying to reshape the district’s approach to school safety. He said he and his team are fielding mental health calls, training staff on how to interact with immigration enforcemen