Orlando Alvarez

I was born in Santa Clara, Cuba, and immigrated to New York City with my mother and father. Shortly thereafter, we relocated to South Florida, and I was educated in South Florida at a home where the primary language was Spanish. I learned English by attending grade school and by associating with English-speaking friends. I decided to join law enforcement because I had a sense of wanting to “give back” and to serve and protect those who had the same similar challenges to mine. I was fortunate to work for the Broward County Sheriff’s Office for five years where I was employed as a road patrol deputy and a Major Crimes detective, where I investigated violent felonies. I received various training in understanding the needs and complexities of working with diverse community members. I have participated in cultural diversity training, restorative justice practices training, and the disproportionate minority contact initiative. After five years at the Sheriff’s office, I joined the Gainesville Police Department in Gainesville, Florida. There, I was a patrol officer, DUI investigator, traffic homicide investigator, school resource officer, school resource officer supervisor, and juvenile resource detective. I was promoted to Sergeant and was assigned to supervise our downtown unit and mounted unit. After several years in that position, I transferred to become the road patrol supervisor. I retired from my 25-year law enforcement career in @015. In 2015, I relocated to Brattleboro, Vermont, and became a child abuse investigator with DCF. After 3 years with DCF, I left DCF and became the Director of Campus Safety and Emergency Management at Landmark College. In 2020, I discovered a rewarding career as an educator. A position that allows me to pass on my experiences, knowledge, and ability to recognize the complexities associated with criminal offenders. I’ve earned a Master of Science degree in Psychology and am a member of the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences. Being a resident of Brattleboro and having an opportunity to teach in Brattleboro allows me to share my experiences with local students.