Chancellor Message Regarding Shelter in Place at RCC on 4/18/2023

​​Dear Students and Colleagues,

Yesterday morning, the students and employees at Riverside City College (RCC) were directed to shelter-in-place while police searched for and then apprehended a man wielding a knife on campus. RAVE Alert messages were sent by text, email, the Guardian App, and on social media notifying the people at RCC about the incident and what precautions to take while waiting for the ALL CLEAR message.

RCCD Police worked with the Riverside City Police and County Sheriff departments to conduct the search and resolve the situation by arresting the suspect. We are very fortunate that the police responded quickly, and that no students, college personnel, or officers were assaulted or physically injured during this incident. We are all grateful to the police and safety personnel who guarded our safety and protected us from potential harm.

I also want to commend and thank the RCC cosmetology students who called 911 yesterday morning. This is exactly what should have been done. While we have all heard the mantra, "If you see something, say something," these students did it. They reported their concerns and observations, and the police were able to safely resolve the situation.

As we review and debrief those who were involved in the situation, I am sure that there is a lot that we will learn from this experience. We will listen to the first responders and the students, faculty and staff who had to shelter-in-place. They will inform our preparations for other emergencies and crisis.

I am confident that as a result of this experience and the feedback we receive, this District and our colleges will be better prepared for the future. We will take the lessons learned and apply them. Response systems and processes will be refined. Emergency communication plans will be renewed. And, the safety of our campus communities will be bolstered.

Last night, during the regular meeting of the RCCD Board of Trustees, we were charged with assessing and reporting what went wrong and what went right during the incident yesterday, and our subsequent plans and preparations for future emergencies. Your input will be valued and appreciated throughout this process. I want to thank you, in advance, for your participation.

Sincerely,

Wolde-Ab Isaac, Ph.D.
Chancellor​