Faculty
Full-Time Faculty
Lindsey, Drennon
Professor Drennon Lindsey joins Chabot College as a full-time, tenure-track faculty member with the Administration of Justice Department, returning to the very institution where she began her academic journey as a dual enrollment student before transferring to California State University, Hayward. With 26 years of experience in law enforcement and over ten years of teaching experience at community college and middle school levels, her expertise is a significant asset to the academic community.
Her distinguished career with the Oakland Police Department includes pivotal leadership roles such as Deputy Chief of the Bureau of Investigations, where she managed various critical divisions and spearheaded community-focused crime reduction initiatives under the "Cease Fire" strategy.
Professor Lindsey holds a bachelor’s degree in biology from California State University East Bay, a Master's in Industrial Organizational Psychology from Golden Gate University, and is nearing completion of her Doctorate in Leadership Education at Saint Mary’s College, expected by Fall 2024.
Beyond her professional and academic accomplishments, Professor Lindsey is a dedicated family woman, married with several adult children. She enjoys traveling, hiking, and engaging in community service, notably leading a pipeline program for law enforcement careers at Merritt College. Her commitment extends beyond professional realms into fostering educational pathways that mirror her own transformative experiences.
With her extensive experience and deep commitment to education and community, Professor Lindsey is poised to inspire and guide the next generation of justice professionals at Chabot College, where her educational path first took shape.
Professor Drennon Lindsey
Mackey, Cheryl L.
Professor Mackey is a practicing attorney and full-time professor at Chabot College, as well as the Department Chair of Administration of Justice/Paralegal Studies/Alameda County Sheriff's Academy, teaching classes in the field of Criminal Justice and Paralegal Studies. She is licensed to practice law in both California state and federal courts and is a member of the East Bay La Raza Lawyers Association and San Francisco Paralegal Association. She is also a law enforcement subject matter expert for the California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (P.O.S.T), advising in areas of procedural justice, use of force and de-escalation, principled policing and works closely with the Alameda County Sheriff's Office (ACSO). Recently, Professor Mackey had the privilege of co-facilitating the POST "Use of Force" Task Force with Chief Darryl McAllister and was the lead writer on the new POST use of force guidelines for the state of California.
Professor Mackey received her law degree, Magna Cum Laude and Order of the Coif, from U.C. Hastings College of the Law, along with a Master’s of Science in Criminal Justice from Michigan State University and a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from UCLA. Prior to teaching at Chabot, she taught at U.C. Hastings College of the Law, Diablo Valley College, and worked as a trial attorney representing police departments, fire departments and other agencies in various legal matters in both federal and state court. She also served as a Law Clerk to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Strike Force Division in San Francisco and to the California Assembly Judiciary Committee in Sacramento. She is a former Commissioner for the Contra Costa County Juvenile Justice Commission and former Cadet with both the Contra Costa County Sheriff's Office and Danville Police Department.
Finally, Professor Mackey is a proud Latina and first generation college graduate. She loves the law and its incredible potential to protect society's most vulnerable and ensure just and equitable outcomes. She believes the law is a vehicle for change and touches every aspect of a person's life. Professor Mackey also absolutely loves teaching. Please know her door is always open - she encourages you to reach out with any questions, especially regarding the criminal justice field, the legal field, law enforcement, internships, job preparation, transferring to a four year institution, or anything else that might be on your mind!
Department Chair/Professor Cheryl Lema Mackey
Part-Time Faculty
Giambona, Salvatore
Salvatore Giambona is a licensed attorney and currently serves as a Deputy Public Defender handling felonies, misdemeanors, and juvenile cases. He has tried nearly forty trials to jury verdict and has conducted countless evidentiary hearings in his time as a Public Defender. Mr. Giambona earned his bachelors degree with honors from the University of California, Santa Barbara in Psychology and Sociology in 2003. In 2007 he earned a Master of Arts in education from the University of California, Santa Barbara. In 2010, he earned his Juris Doctor degree from University of California, Hastings College of the Law.
In 2016, the Solano County Bar Association recognized Mr. Giambona's work on behalf of his clients and honored him with the Leonard Oldwin Jr. Memorial Award for zealous advocacy. He became a member of the board of the Solano County Bar Association in 2017. He is also an advisor to the Contra Costa County Juvenile Justice Commission and is a frequent guest lecturer for the Administration of Justice Department at Chabot College.
Mr. Giambona is a lifelong resident of California and has spent much of this time in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Johnson, Charles W.
Charles W. Johnson, Jr. began his professional career teaching eighth grade science and then high school chemistry, while coaching multiple sports for Montgomery County Public Schools, in Rockville and Bethesda, Maryland from 1978 - 1985. During that time, he was recognized as a Mentor Teacher for students and a candidate for educational administration.
In 1985 Charlie was sworn in as a Special Agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Following Quantico training, Charlie was assigned to the Las Vegas Division of the FBI, where he conducted violent crime, fugitive, and property crime investigations. Charlie transferred to the FBI New York Division in 1990 and to the San Francisco Division in 1998.
While conducting violent crime and violent gang investigations, and serving as a Supervisory Special Agent leading a multi-jurisdictional task force, Charlie provided training to law enforcement. He completed FBI Police Instructor Certification (1990), Advanced Instructor training (2004) and recertification (2010). Charlie conducted courses for law enforcement instructors, and served as a trainer and presenter at law enforcement conferences and seminars. In 2006, Charlie was selected to the initial class of Adjunct Faculty to the FBI Leadership Development Institute, Quantico, Virginia. Based in California, he designed and conducted training in interpersonal communication, performance management, team dynamics, and organizational culture to law enforcement command personnel. In 2010, Charlie was selected for the FBI Master Police Instructor award.
In 2011 Charlie was invited to serve as the Instructional Team Lead for the FBI Leadership Development Program at Washington, DC. Leading a team of eight, he provided engaging deployment of leadership principles and facilitation of leadership discussion through week long seminars 2011 – 2013. After more than 27 years of service, Charlie retired from the FBI in 2013.
Charlie is Adjunct Faculty at Chabot College, Hayward, California. He teaches courses to include; Criminal Investigation, Gangs and Drugs, Introduction to the Administration of Justice, Investigative Writing, and Leadership and Integrity. He is the Small Business Owner of Strategic Leadership Services, which provides training and consultation on effective communication and leadership. Born in New York City, raised in New Jersey, and a graduate of the University of Massachusetts, Amherst; Charlie resides in Benicia, California with his bride of 35 years.
McAllister, Darryl
Chief Darryl McAllister served throughout the ranks of the Hayward Police Department for more than thirty years. October 1, 2014, he was appointed as Union City’s chief of police. His primary focus—both in policing and in education—is to redefine the importance of police-community engagement as a means to promote trust and transparency in today’s policing.
A ranking officer in both cities, Chief McAllister has commanded several divisions, bureaus, and functions including Patrol Operations, Investigations, Youth and Family Intervention and Counseling Services, School Policing Services, Gang Violence Suppression, Community Policing Services, SWAT, Canine Units, and Media Relations. He also served four years as the Hayward Police Department’s primary Press Information Officer, dealing regularly with news media.
Chief McAllister is also an educator, previously serving as lead faculty at the University of Phoenix, and now as a faculty member of Chabot College, teaching primarily criminal justice and public policy courses. For nearly two decades he has served as a board member of several community organizations, currently serving as the President of the Board at the St. Rose Hospital Foundation, and as a member of the advisory board of the University of San Francisco's International Institute of Criminal Justice Leadership. He participates on the selection panel for the California State Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training’s Command College Program, and on the board of the San Francisco Bay Area Chapter of the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives. He serves on the boards of several nonprofit organizations in the East Bay, and, in his spare time, he is a youth mentor with Reality Mentor, Inc.
He is a two-time nominee and one-time recipient of Hayward’s Police Officer of the Year Award, a 2007 Recipient of the “Hayward Pearl Award” honoring volunteer service to the community, and he was also awarded in 2013 as University of Phoenix’s Faculty Member of the Year for the San Francisco Bay Area Campus region. In 2015, he was selected by the Southern Alameda County NAACP for its most prestigious honor—the “Person of the Year” Award.
His manuscript, Law Enforcement Turns to Face Recognition Technology, was published by Information Today Magazine in May 2007. His strategic plan, 2008 and Beyond, was officially adopted and published by the City of Hayward in December 2008, and was the first of its kind for the organization since 1991. In 2016, he was honored to be one of a select number of police chiefs in the country to be invited to the White House to take part in a critical discussion with President Obama and his staff about how to build trust between police and the communities they serve.
Chief McAllister holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Occupational Studies from California State University, Long Beach, and a Master’s Degree in Administrative Development from Alliant International University. He is currently completing coursework for a Doctorate in Educational Leadership at Saint Mary’s College of California. He is a graduate of the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia—a professional course of study for U.S. and international law enforcement leaders. He is also an alumnus of the California Command College—a graduate level futures study program of the California State Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training.
Meehan, James
Mr. Meehan graduated from UC Davis with a Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in Political Science. Mr. Meehan earned his Juris Doctor degree from the University of San Francisco and is licensed with the State Bar of California to practice law. Mr. Meehan holds the position of Assistant District Attorney for the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office and is currently assigned to the Consumer & Environmental Protection Division. Mr. Meehan has held a variety of positions within the District Attorney’s Office including Branch Head, Felony Senior Trial Deputy, Felony Team Leader, Felony Trial Deputy, and Capital Litigation Coordinator. Mr. Meehan is a past member of the District Attorney’s Special Circumstance Committee and currently serves as the senior member of the Officer Involved Shooting/Critical Incident Team.
Mr. Meehan is an instructor for the Stanford University, School of Law Trial Advocacy Program. Mr. Meehan is also a member of the Las Positas College, Administration of Justice Advisory Board. Mr. Meehan has been an instructor at Chabot College and Las Positas College in the Administration of Justice Programs since 2013. Mr. Meehan has taught Criminal Law, Evidence, Family Violence, and Homicide Investigation. Mr. Meehan previously was an instructor for the University of San Francisco, Paralegal Studies Program, where he taught Criminal Law and Procedure. Mr. Meehan’s professional memberships include the California District Attorneys Association and the California Homicide Investigators Association.
Nielson, Laura
Professor Laura Nielson Graduated San Diego State University with a degree in Business Administration/Information System Analysis and Design. She worked for over 8 years in the Information Technology (IT) field before realizing a change was in order. That desire for change and her background in the IT field led to applying for and graduating from the FBI academy at Quantico, VA as a Special Agent in 1996. Professor Nielson’s first office assignment was in the San Francisco Division chasing computer hackers all over the world. She remained in the San Francisco field office over 22 years before retiring December 31, 2018. As a Special Agent, Professor Nielson spent most of her career as part of the FBI’s elite Crisis Responses Team, working major cases in computer crimes, crimes against children, violent crime, complex financial crimes, art fraud, bank fraud, and both domestic and international terrorism.
After joining the FBI’s Evidence Response Team (ERT) in early 1997, Professor Nielson became the Senior Team leader on 9/10/2001, the day before the 9 -11 terror attack. As supervisor of over 32 Special Agents and professional support members of the ERT team, we processed many complex crime scenes in the US and overseas. She is experienced in all areas of forensic crime scene processing and specializing in body recovery; blood detection, collection and pattern interpretation; post blast scenes and fingerprint processing and collection. Professor Nielson has collaborated and consulted with local and international law enforcement and military to process crime scenes involving mass disasters, bombing scenes, homicide and shooting scenes.
Professor Nielson became a certified General Police Instructor in 1998 and have spent more than 20 years developing curriculum and teaching crime scene processing to federal, state and local law enforcement both in the U.S. and overseas. In 2000, she became an International Police Instructor teaching a 2-week Terrorist Crime Scene Investigation (TCSI) class to international law enforcement academies in several different countries.
Sprott, Carson
Carson Sprott is a Investigator-Attorney in the Office of the President, University of California, and the first disabled veteran to serve in this role. Sprott has been on the proverbial “front lines” of investigating sexual assault, harassment, and discrimination both in the private sector and the government for over two decades. During his approximately 18 years of federal service he has advised, investigated, prosecuted, and defended the most complex criminal, civil, and administrative cases. As a USAF JAG reservist, he leads the 9th Circuit’s military public defenders’ offices while trying complex felony cases globally.
Sprott deployed to just outside Mosul, Iraq in support of Operation Inherent Resolve, where he supported 2300 missions and identified, investigated, and coordinated the legal response to potential Geneva Convention violations. For this, he received the personal gratitude of the United States Ambassador to Iraq and Acting Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter; an Air Force Commendation Medal; and was selected both as the Expeditionary Center’s and the Air Mobility Command’s Kuhfeld Award winner as the Outstanding Judge Advocate. With this legal and investigative expertise, Sprott was tapped to lead a similar team on a NATO mission in eastern Europe later in spring/summer 2022.
Sprott earned a B.S. degree in industrial/organizational psychology from Saint Mary’s College of California, where he was Psi Chi, a contributor to both school paper and the literary magazine, an eight-time varsity letter winner, and a football and rugby team captain. He received a degree in Human Resources Management from Cornell University, and his law degree from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law, where he graduated cum laude, anchored a moot court competition team, and was a Law Review Editor.
Wilson, Bradon
I began my career in the field of public safety and criminal justice at the age of eighteen as a student service officer for the Cal State University East Bay police department. I worked as a student service officer while studying to obtain my bachelor’s degree in criminal justice. During my time at Cal-State East Bay I also served on their Community Policing Advisory Board, which was my introduction to the world of community policing.
At the age of twenty-one I began my career as a law enforcement officer for the City of Hayward. I attended the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office 139th police academy and shortly afterwards I began my field training as a patrol officer. I served as a patrol officer until 2012 when I was assigned as the School Resource Officer for Hayward High School and the surrounding middle schools. During my time as a School Resource Officer I was in charge of the local Junior Giants outreach program as well as participating in the Gang Resistance and Education Training (GREAT) program.
I was eventually assigned as an acting Sergeant in 2016 and received a full promotion of the rank of Sergeant in 2017. As a sergeant I was assigned to Chabot College to act as their law enforcement liaison as well as director of campus safety and security from 2018 to 2019. In 2020 I was retired from the police department in good standing due to a work-related injury.
During my law enforcement career I also held ancillary assignments as a SWAT team operator and an arrest and control instructor. As a SWAT team operator I received training on team tactics and participated in training exercises such as Urban Shield. As an arrest and control instructor it was my responsibility to train officers on numerous areas such as searching, handcuffing, the use of force, and documenting such incidents.
After my law enforcement career ended I returned to Chabot College to act as the interim director of campus safety from 2021 to 2022. During that time I assisted in the implementation of the new parking system in use, the installation of a new security system, and consulted the college on various public safety matters as well. While I was the interim director of campus safety I obtained my Master’s degree in criminal justice from Lamar University. Before my graduation I was inducted into Lamar University’s honor society, Phi Kappa Phi.
This will be my first year as a part time faculty member for Chabot College and I am excited for the opportunity!