Santa Monica College Police Chief Dr. Albert Vasquez completed a Master of Arts Degree in Security Studies at the Naval Postgraduate School Center for Homeland Defense and Security on Sept. 21.
Vasquez — who is SMC’s Dean of Campus Security, Student Health, and Safety — is a 30-year law enforcement veteran who has held numerous positions throughout his career in the U.S., Europe, and Asia.
His career has included a six-year deployment overseas for the United Nations International Police Task Force and the U.S. Department of Justice-International Criminal Investigative Training Assistance Program (ICITAP).
Presently, he is the statewide co-chair of the Associates Workgroup of the Council for Emergency Management and Homeland Security (CEMHS) charged with developing academic disciplines in the emerging fields of emergency management and homeland security for the state of California. He has a bachelor’s degree from California State University-Los Angeles, a master’s degree from Chapman University and a doctoral degree in education from the University of Southern California. He resides in La Habra Heights with his family.
During the 18-month online and in-residence program, Vasquez collaborated with homeland security officials from across the nation on current policy, strategy, and organizational design challenges.
His thesis, keeping an educational focus, was titled: “Theory to Practice: How Developing a K-12 Curriculum in Emergency Preparedness, Life Safety, or Homeland Security can Lead to Resiliency.”
Twenty-nine students received degrees from CHDS as part of ceremonies at the Naval Postgraduate School.
They represent a cross-section of the homeland security profession and include professionals from law enforcement, fire safety, homeland security, emergency management, social services, academia and the military.
