S1E7 - Hector Becerra: Serving Kids, Staff, and Community - The CUSD Way

In this episode of the Doc B Podcast, host Aaron Cook sits down with Lieutenant Hector Becerra of the Clovis Unified School District Police Department to talk about what school safety looks like when it’s built on relationships, visibility, and trust.

Lt. Becerra shares how an elementary-school police K9 demonstration first planted the seed for law enforcement, why he paid his way through the academy, and what he learned across 20 years with Fresno PD before coming to Clovis Unified. He explains why CUSD’s model is different—less “traditional policing,” more connection and prevention—and how student relationships can stop problems before they ever start.

• The moment in elementary school that first inspired Hector to become a police officer

• How a conversation with his dad—and a Fresno PD hiring push—set his career in motion

• Why he chose Clovis Unified after retirement, and what surprised him about the culture

• The “rover” role, working elementary sites, and why Buchanan became such a meaningful assignment

• What changes when you move from a school site to supervision—and why he misses daily student connections

• How relationships and student trust helped lead to zero fights during his final year at Buchanan

• Why CUSD campus policing emphasizes presence, prevention, and mentoring over being “stat-driven”

• What a “great day” looks like: visible officers, positive interactions, and nothing happening

• What he wants parents to understand about campus police—and the importance of respectful communication

• The advice he gives students who want to become police officers: education and life experience first

• Who taught him “the Clovis Unified way,” and what “Students at the Center” means in his work

• Relationships prevent problems : students share information early so issues can be addressed before they escalate

• “My little satellites” : the power of students who trust you enough to speak up

• Visibility matters : a calm, consistent presence can deter problems and reassure families

• Respect goes a long way : treating students (and parents) with dignity—even in tough moments

• School policing is different : the goal is mentoring, connection, and helping kids grow—not just enforcement

• Students are the future : investing in kids now shapes who they become later

Sic’ Em!

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