John Beam's death at Laney College sparks security upgrades on campus

OAKLAND, Calif. - The Peralta Community College District will implement new security measures at Laney College by the end of the year, following the shooting death of athletic director John Beam on campus.

His killing sparked outrage among faculty and staff who had raised safety concerns for years.

Board approves emergency resolution

What we know:

In a meeting lasting less than six minutes Monday, the district’s Board of Trustees unanimously approved an emergency resolution to upgrade security at Laney College's Field House.

Authorities say the alleged shooter, who was not a student, made his way on campus on Nov. 13 and shot Coach Beam. Beam later died.

The suspect, Cedric Irving, has been charged with murder.

A growing memorial sits outside the Field House, now closed to students and staff, as the community honors Beam’s life and legacy.

Scope of security improvements

Dig deeper:

The resolution allows the district to select any vendor and sign contracts without delay to repair and enhance security at the athletic facility. That includes fencing, lighting, security cameras, and access control systems.

District officials also said the upgrades could exceed the usual $220,000 threshold.

"I think it will do a lot of good," said Jeff Sanceri, president of the Peralta Federation of Teachers.

Sanceri said concerns extend far beyond the athletic facility.

"The safety issues that we’ve been having at Peralta for many years across the campuses have spread not through just one particular building, but through the entire campus and all the campuses," he said.

This comes after reports that Beam himself raised safety concerns, asking for armed guards at a staff meeting the day before he was killed and citing a recent theft on campus.

Over the past five years, Laney has cycled through multiple security groups and faced guard shortages.

Sanceri said the board’s swift action was satisfying, but overdue.

"This is the fastest I’ve seen our administration work to rectify a problem," he said. "My hope, and I’m somewhat optimistic, is that this kind of speed will be used throughout the rest of our district."

Timeline and work details remain unclear

District officials did not answer specific questions about security issues at other campuses.

Board President Louis Quindlen declined an interview but said in a written statement, "The safety of our students, staff and community continues to be the highest priority for the District. We remain committed to engaging our community in open, thoughtful dialogue as we move forward together."

The Field House is expected to reopen in January, when the resolution states the security upgrades should be completed.

The district has not said when work will begin or provided an estimated cost.

The chancellor’s office also declined an interview request.