Meet Your Portuguese-American Elected Officials in California: Laura Bettencourt
Laura Bettencourt has been an Antelope Valley resident since 1985. She was elected to her first term for City Council on May 19, 2009 and re-elected on November 3, 2009, and again on November 8, 2016.
Bettencourt currently works as a crime analyst for the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and has done so for 19 years. She previously worked for Northrop Grumman at Site 4 on the B2 Bomber project. For the past 17 years, Bettencourt has also worked as an adjunct instructor at Antelope Valley College teaching courses in criminal justice.
Bettencourt holds a bachelor’s degree in social ecology, specializing in criminology, law & society, from the University of California, Irvine, a master’s degree in criminal justice from California State University, San Bernardino, and an associate’s degree from Antelope Valley College. While attending UC Irvine, she worked at the Irvine Police Department. Bettencourt is also certified by the California Department of Justice in Crime and Intelligence Analysis and has attended both the basic and advanced DEA federal law enforcement academies for intelligence analysis in Quantico, Virginia.
Ms. Bettencourt serves on the board of directors for the Palmdale Aerospace Academy, is a member of the Palmdale City Audit Committee, member of the Palmdale Airport Authority, a director on the Palmdale Financing Authority, director on the Palmdale Civic Authority, director on the Industrial Development Authority, director with the Successor Agency, a commissioner with the Palmdale Housing Authority, and is a delegate for the California State Prison – Los Angeles County, Citizens Advisory Committee. She is also an alternate delegate for the Antelope Valley Air Quality Management District, the Antelope Valley Transit Authority, and the California Contract Cities Association.
Bettencourt holds memberships with Alpha Phi Sigma the National Criminal Justice Honor Society, the International Association of Crime Analysts, the International Association of Law Enforcement Intelligence Analysts, PPOA 621, AVCFT Local 4683A (CFT, AFT, AFL-CIO), and holds a lifetime membership with Girl Scouts of America.
Ms. Bettencourt is single and resides in east Palmdale with her daughter Bailey.