2008 Woodie Awards
To Protect, Instruct and to Sell
Valley's top cop pulls double duty as an instructor.
Tammy Funicello
Issue date: 5/4/05 Section: News
When Cort Bishop gets a call, he has to wonder: Is it a campus crime? Is it one of his students with a problem? Or is it a buyer for that house he just listed?
Bishop is Valley College's deputy sheriff, teaches criminal justice here and is a registered real estate agent. He has been a sheriff for 16 years. He started as an officer patrolling the streets but now, at the age of 43, he prefers the school beat.
"I really like working here because the campus is a lot quieter and there is a lot less crime than on the streets," said Bishop. "The crimes here are also quite a bit different. Working the streets I could get 18-25 calls and see two dead bodies in a day."
At Valley, a typical day for the 5'10" deputy includes going on patrol, answering calls for service, and being visible around campus in order to prevent crime. He also helps mentor cadets like Megan Hartman.
"He is honest and always there [to offer] a helping hand," said Hartman.
One of Bishop's current students, 22-year-old sociology major Lazette Farias, said that "as far as teaching goes he is quite thorough, but he seems pretty busy."
The teacher said his schedule still allows time for his other responsibilities.
"It's not that hard to do both," he said. "I work a 40-hour job covering the p.m. shift as a deputy, but I am only part-time as a teacher."
This is Bishop's second semester teaching administration of justice at Valley, after teaching at Southwestern Academy High School and in the Sheriff's Department, as well as giving lectures at various high schools. He says he plans to continue teaching when he retires from the Sheriff's Department.
"When I was younger I loved patrolling streets, but it's so time-consuming," he said. "I like it here now that I am a little older and have a family, but I wouldn't have liked it before."
Bishop says he loves what he does and has known that this is what he wanted to do since he was in college.
"There are a lot of reasons I wanted to become a sheriff," said Bishop. "People tell you they want to do it to help people and make things better and that's true, but I also like it because every day is different.
"I also can't sit in a seat all day."
 Media Credit: Cynthia Perry/ Special to the Star Cynthia Perry / Valley Star IN FROM THE COLD - After years on the streets with the L.A. County Sheriff´s Department, Cort Bishop is now the head of L.A. Valley College Sheriff´s Department. |
Bishop is Valley College's deputy sheriff, teaches criminal justice here and is a registered real estate agent. He has been a sheriff for 16 years. He started as an officer patrolling the streets but now, at the age of 43, he prefers the school beat.
"I really like working here because the campus is a lot quieter and there is a lot less crime than on the streets," said Bishop. "The crimes here are also quite a bit different. Working the streets I could get 18-25 calls and see two dead bodies in a day."
At Valley, a typical day for the 5'10" deputy includes going on patrol, answering calls for service, and being visible around campus in order to prevent crime. He also helps mentor cadets like Megan Hartman.
"He is honest and always there [to offer] a helping hand," said Hartman.
One of Bishop's current students, 22-year-old sociology major Lazette Farias, said that "as far as teaching goes he is quite thorough, but he seems pretty busy."
The teacher said his schedule still allows time for his other responsibilities.
"It's not that hard to do both," he said. "I work a 40-hour job covering the p.m. shift as a deputy, but I am only part-time as a teacher."
This is Bishop's second semester teaching administration of justice at Valley, after teaching at Southwestern Academy High School and in the Sheriff's Department, as well as giving lectures at various high schools. He says he plans to continue teaching when he retires from the Sheriff's Department.
"When I was younger I loved patrolling streets, but it's so time-consuming," he said. "I like it here now that I am a little older and have a family, but I wouldn't have liked it before."
Bishop says he loves what he does and has known that this is what he wanted to do since he was in college.
"There are a lot of reasons I wanted to become a sheriff," said Bishop. "People tell you they want to do it to help people and make things better and that's true, but I also like it because every day is different.
"I also can't sit in a seat all day."
