Dallas College

Student Experience: Gerrye Anderson

“I got interested in a career in criminal justice by talking to friends and family, and I thought it sounded like something I would really enjoy doing. I went through Eastfield's Basic Peace Officer training as a full-time student and graduated in May 2007. I’ve also been taking Criminal Justice credit classes to earn my associate degree. 

“With my peace officer training, I really got a hands-on experience. We went through all types of training, with different scenarios on what can go wrong. 

“I also love my credit Criminal Justice classes, especially the ones with Patrick Patterson. He gets right to the point and gives you so much information that you can take right to work. I’ve learned a lot that I didn’t know — like you can write a ticket for someone who’s honking their horn unnecessarily. 

“If you’re interested in police work, I’d recommend the Criminal Justice Training Center and Criminal Justice degree program. They’re going to make sure you’ve got the background to go out and get a good job.” 

A graduate of Roosevelt High School, Gerrye (pronounced “jerry”) Anderson graduated from the Basic Peace Officer training course in May 2007 and is completing an associate degree in Criminal Justice at Eastfield. She was hired as a campus police officer at Dallas College in January 2008.


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Vera L. Jones

Verna L. Jones, M.S.W.

Executive Director Under 1 Roof
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Sociology
Veronica Alejandro

Veronica Alejandro

Dallas College student and hopeful future police officer
“I want every day to be a new challenge and I want to help people – but not from behind a desk. My criminology classes have all been good and I like the life experience my professors bring to the classroom.”
Criminal Justice
Kristine Farmer

S. Kristine Farmer

Employment Litigation Case Manager Fish and Richardson, PC
“My paralegal classes really gave me the fundamental foundation of what it means to be a paralegal. I had always been the only paralegal in a small law firm and I got a much better understanding of how paralegals are utilized in much larger firms. I got a lot of practical information, particularly in legal research and writing, on how to write persuasively. The overall quality of instruction was really just exceptional.”
Paralegal
Sheila Grace (Isom)

Sheila Grace, M.S., LPCI

Counselor Gateway Foundation In-Prison Treatment Center Brownwood
“How did I get to Eastfield’s Substance Abuse program? To be honest, I was in recovery myself. When I got to Eastfield, I did not even know what a semester hour was — I just knew I wanted to do something that would help someone else escape the horrors of addiction.”
Social Work
Gerrye Anderson
Gerrye Anderson
Campus Police Officer Eastfield
Criminal Justice
School of Law and Public Service
Updated July 28, 2026