Oakland Unified School District gets a new Executive Director of Safety

New Executive Director of Safety for Oakland Unified School District

Oakland Unified School District is heading back to school and with a new Executive Director of Safety. For the first time in the district?s history, Nelson Alegria will assume the role.

OAKLAND, Calif. - Oakland Unified School District is heading back to school on August 11th, and with a new Executive Director of Safety.

Nelson Alegria will assume the role to continue the goal set in the district Safety Plan.  

The first order of business: to see all the school sites in the first 90 days. 

The backstory:

Alegria got his start as a Sheriff’s Cadet in Los Angeles. He’s worked safety and emergency readiness at Simi Valley Unified School District, for the Pittsburg Unified School District as Supervisor of School Safety & Emergency Preparedness and most recently for the School Safety & Emergency Services Manager at the Alameda County Office of Education. 

 "It is a changing landscape we have different issues that occur at our school sites and now like with ice issues that are occurring how do we make families feel safe to send their kids to school," said Alegria. 

His job is to continue the new safety plan after the removal of the district police department from campuses five years ago with the George Floyd Resolution. 

According to the school district, back when they had a police department, Oakland schools made about 2,000 calls a year to the department. Since its elimination in 2021, the number of calls to police have dropped to roughly 250 per year.

 "Redoing a lot of the framework we laid out for the programs how we handle mental health, how we handle restorative justice with safety," said Alegria. 

By the numbers:

Since the campus police have been disbanded, there have been several incidents. A shooting killed one and injured five at King Estate Campus in September 2022. Shootings at Skyline High School in September 2023 and at graduation in 2024. 

According to the district, 37% of calls required a law enforcement response during the 2024 to 2025 school year.  

Calls to law enforcement between the 2024 and 2205 school year showed:
-22% were reports to police, Child Protective Services, or missing persons
-15% escalated adults (majority off campus)
-14% mental health crisis
-14% weapons in community or on campus

KTVU asked Alegria about the incidents. While he was not present for them, these were his thoughts.  "It’s really looking at what occurred and how do we improve our protocols and practices from the graduation incident we are improving our protocols for the next graduation," said Alegria. 

The other side:

He said his top priority is continuing the community partnerships the Black Organizing Project established. 

The Project spearheaded the movement to remove police from campuses, and Malaika Parker is the Executive Director. 

"There is a lot of promise there, but the community deserves to see that happen. I’ll be encouraged by the words but impressed by the actions," said Parker. 

The Project is looking to the district to move the work on the George Floyd Resolution forward at a faster pace and for this new position to sustain it, while also creating a sanctuary and true safety for students. 

"Building systems and pathways for violence prevention, building systems and pathways for a reduction of suspension and expulsion which is primarily impacting black children," said Parker.  

According to the district, Algeria earns about $200,000. His position does not have any school budget funds that he oversees. 

Alegria said he will be available to parents he’s planning to attend school board meetings. PTA meetings and events to hear from the community.