BELLMEAD, TX — Former chief Lydia Alvarado retired as the first woman police chief of Bellmead in April. Since then, she hasn't stopped her service to the community or a hand in police work.
She is currently teaching officers in a Crisis Intervention Training (CIT) that is a new mandate by the state of Texas. CIT is to help officers work with someone in a time of crisis.
This training was needed in the community by officers who are at work.
Since retirement, Alvarado knew she wanted to get back to teaching and mentoring since she's been teaching since 1991. This class has been her primary focus to make sure officers are getting the education they need, and to keep our community safe.
"So that someone has additional tools that they can go and utilize, to one keep themselves safer to keep others safer its just very fulfilling for me," Alvarado said.
Alvarado puts her whole heart into teaching, and wanting to make sure officers are receiving the best. In return, it'll keep the community safe.
"Basically the internal feelings of why I've done what I've done throughout my whole career," Alvarado said. "I care about the community, I live in this community and that includes all the towns and the cities."
She has many favorite parts to teaching, having a hard time narrowing down just one, she hopes that although the training is required officers realize why they chose this career.
"My goal is to give them information," Alvarado said "If they take away one thing, hopefully its a lot more than that, but if they can take away one thing that can help them they didn't know before to keep them safer and the consumer safer."
Although she has a bit more time to herself, she plans to teach for quite some time. Alvarado currently teaches the CIT class at Emergency Services through MCC. You can contact them directly for a class or visit this website to learn more.
