Three Concord employees exemplify city’s mission

CONCORD, CA (Nov. 10, 2022) — During this season of gratitude, I want to thank our dedicated city staff for their commitment to Concord. In particular, I would like to acknowledge three employees who should be applauded for their service: infrastructure and streets superintendent Jesse Crawford, police Sgt. Ollie Sansen and human resources director Jasmin Loi.

Though they serve our community in different ways, all three are committed to fulfilling the city’s mission, joining with the community to make Concord a city of the highest quality.

Born and raised in Concord, Crawford joined the team in 2001 as a seasonal laborer in the Infrastructure Division and has held eight positions during his tenure. He was recently promoted to management, which he calls his proudest professional accomplishment.

Crawford says the best piece of advice he ever received was: “Keep the city’s best interest in mind when making a decision, and you’ll never be wrong.”

Public Works director Will Tarbox calls Crawford a “true leader” who oversees vital city functions, including street repairs and sewer maintenance. “He has complete respect from the team,” Tarbox said. “I have 100 percent confidence in him.”

Sgt. Ollie Sansen

Another one of our longtime employees is Concord native Sansen – a 24-year veteran of Concord PD who started his career as a police explorer while attending Clayton Valley High School in the ’90s.

Sansen has held numerous positions within the department. After being promoted to sergeant, he supervised the Special Enforcement Team. One year ago, however, Police Chief Mark Bustillos had a new assignment for Sansen: lead recruiter.

Recognizing the department’s urgent need for police officers, Concord made recruiting a top priority. Sansen now leads the city’s efforts to proactively find qualified PD candidates and guide each trainee through the application, testing and interview process.

While law enforcement agencies across the country are having trouble recruiting, Sansen says a career in law enforcement offers something that very few private sector jobs can: job security and, more importantly, a very real sense of helping people.

“There are not many jobs where you can make that kind of difference,” said Sansen’s supervisor, Lt. Kevin Halm, who praises him for his innovation and dedication to the job.

Jasmine Loi

As an advocate for both the city and its employees, Loi is responsible for numerous functions in the organization – including recruiting and selection, benefits administration, workers’ compensation, classification and compensation, employee relations and labor relations.

Her leadership, communication and decision-making contribute to the organization’s continued growth and development. Since she joined Concord five years ago, Loi has guided the city through numerous challenges, the most unusual being the labyrinth of ever-changing regulations resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Concord is constantly improving under Jasmin’s leadership, as she continues to transform how the Human Resources Department supports all city employees,” city manager Valerie Barone told me.

Crawford, Sansen and Loi are three fantastic employees among the 537 full-time and part-time staff that comprise Team Concord. My council colleagues and I are grateful for their dedication to our community and the dedication of all of our essential staff.

If you or someone you know is interested in joining this outstanding team, please visit cityofconcord.org/jobs.