By Jamil Oakford/ editor-in-chief

TCC’s police chief will be headed to the White House after he was invited to hear the results of a task force’s findings on police relations.

Chief Shaun Williams will be in Washington, D.C., next week receiving a briefing on improving relations between the community and the police force.

“It’s an honor,” he said. “It’s something very few people get to achieve.”

The task force, put together by President Barack Obama, works with several types of law enforcement groups to compile a report over many aspects.

One of the areas Williams has interest in is education in police departments.

“I came from a police department, Arlington Police Department, where you had to have a four-year degree,” he said.

The meeting will be Sept. 28.

In other business, the board also approved for architects to assess the college’s recently purchased property on 5450 N. Riverside Drive. The multipurpose building, which was previously used as a warehouse, will house around 78 district employees currently on other campuses.

“This personnel shares space with our early college high school students, which isn’t really the best thing to have those professionals in a high school environment,” facilities vice chancellor Nina Petty said. “So we need to get them out of there.”

With the approval of architects, the district can look at the available space to make it Americans with Disability Act-compliant and conducive to a work environment. Petty hopes to have everyone relocated to the new workspace by late spring or early summer.

The board also honored District 6 board member Gwendolyn Morrison for her 40 years of service.

“Not only has Dr. Morrison been busy these last five years, she’s actually served our district for 40 years,” board president Louise Appleman said.

Because Morrison couldn’t make it to the district’s breakfast in August, the board recognized her at the meeting and presented her with a pin and the official photograph taken in 1976 when she was first elected to the board.