WE BELIEVE IN KEEPING OUR COMMUNITY SAFE

Castro Community On Patrol (CCOP) members are unpaid community volunteers who make a positive difference in the Castro neighborhood.

Deploying regular weekly uniformed and visible “Safety Patrols” of three members, Castro Community On Patrol (CCOP) offers general safety information and guidance, advice, and an extra set of “eyes and ears” for the community.  Our Patrollers encourage good behavior and our presence helps to prevent, or quickly address, bad behavior in the neighborhood.  As unpaid community volunteers, we don’t physically break up fights or make arrests, but since 2006 we have had a significant positive impact on the overall safety of the Castro neighborhood. And of course, when we need to, we can immediately call on the services of the professional responders in the Police and Fire Departments that we work closely with.

Some of our basic statistics over the years (To Year Ending 2021):

3 – Lives saved (medical situation responses)

52 – Ambulance Assistance Calls (408)

640 – Well-Being Checks Conducted (910)

Thousands of interactions with residents, visitors, and business owners offering general information and safety guidance.

BEYOND PATROLLING

Beyond our primary Patrolling function, we also support many other community events and organizations.  As a fully qualified CCOP Patroller you will have the opportunity to support remembrance vigils (Pulse, Harvey Milk etc.), participate in rally events (Prop 8, Patriot Prayer), and help community events succeed (Sisters Easter in the Park, Castro Street Fair) throughout every year. The number and variety of these events just seems to grow with each passing year, which we love.

CCOP is also recognized as a leading organization in the promotion and advancement of general safety and security for the Castro neighborhood, implementing a number of unique programs including the Castro Business Watch, and partnering with other groups to support initiatives such as the  Castro Cares program.

Becoming a Patroller with CCOP will offer you many varied opportunities to volunteer and support the Castro neighborhood in a positive and affirming way. Patrolling is also a lot of fun, and you will make some great new friends among the other Patrollers.

HISTORY

CCOP was founded in November 2006 in response to some well publicized assaults in, and around, the Castro neighborhood.  A number of community members came together with the Mayors Office, the District Attorney’s Office, the San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) and SF Safety Awareness For Everyone (SAFE) and CCOP was established in collaboration with these agencies.

A PROGRAM OF SF SAFE

CCOP is a program of, and is fiscally sponsored by, San Francisco Safety Awareness For Everyone (SAFE.)  SAFE is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization.

We are funded in part by a small annual grant from the City of San Francisco, half of which pays for our part time administrative staff member and the other half pays for  uniform, equipment, and educational outreach costs.  We also rely heavily on fundraising and donations from members of the community we serve.

Find out more about SF-SAFE, our fiscal sponsors and safety partners, who organize and support the citywide Neighborhood Watch, Business Watch Programs, Bicycle Registration Program, and many more.  www.sfsafe.org

ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE

Our Patrol Chief’s and Board of Advisers are responsible for the strategic development and day to day operations of CCOP.  All are unpaid volunteers who donate a considerable amount of time, energy and experience towards keeping CCOP relevant and effective in the ever changing dynamic of the Castro / Duboce Triangle neighborhood.  .  We have seven Board of Adviser positions available but have only filled four of those positions at the present time.

ADMINISTRATIVE DIVISION – BOARD OF DIRECTORS

  1. Greg Carey,  Chairperson (Chr.)
  2. Ken Craig,  Vice Chairperson (VChr.)
  3. Brian Hill,  Assistant Vice Chairperson (AVChr.)
  4. Kyle Wong,  Board of Advisers (BoA)
  5. Open
  6. Open
  7. Open

If you feel you have something to offer to our Board of Advisers, please email us at INFO@CastroPatrol.org with a brief bio and how you think you would be able to serve Castro Patrol and the broader community as a member of our BoA.

PATROL DIVISION

  1. Greg Carey,  Chief of Patrol (Chf.) – Public Relations & Media Branch
  2. Ken Craig,  Deputy Chief of Patrol (DChf.) – Training & Certification Branch
  3. Brian Hill,  Deputy Chief of Patrol (DChf.) – Technology Branch
  4. Kyle Wong, Deputy Chief of Patrol (DChf.) – Recruitment & Retention Branch
  5. To be announced, Assistant Deputy Chief of Patrol (ADChf.) – Training & Certification Branch
  6. To be announced, Assistant Deputy Chief of Patrol (ADChf.) – Technology Branch
  7. To be announced, Assistant Deputy Chief of Patrol (ADChf.) – Recruitment & Retention Branch
  8. To be announced, Senior Patroller (SPtlr.)
  9. To be announced, Senior Patroller (SPtlr.)
  10. To be announced, Senior Patroller (SPtlr.)
  11. To be announced, Senior Patroller (SPtlr.)
  12. To be announced, Senior Patroller (SPtlr.)
  13. To be announced, Senior Patroller (SPtlr.)

BIOS

Chief Greg Carey

KCCO, St.WECB, OVC, OSC

Joined CCOP:  2007

Position:

  • Chief of Patrol – Patrol Division
  • Chairperson of the Board of Advisers – Administration Division
  • Director of Public Relations & Media Relations
  • Knight Commander of the venerable Castro Order (KCCO)

CCOP Awards / Recognition:

  • 15 year Continuous Service Pin (2022)
  • 10 year Continuous Service Pin (2017)
  • Outstanding Volunteer Commendation Bar 2013 (OVC)
  • Outstanding Service Commendation Bar 2013 (OSC)
  • 5 year Continuous Service Pin 2012

Other Awards / Recognition:

  • 12/16/2012 – Certificate of Sainthood – Order of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence as St. Watchful Eyes of the Castro Beat (St.WECB)

Greg (Greggy) Carey was born in South Dakota. He was educated at the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, studying Electrical Engineering. He worked at Sencore Electronics in Sioux Falls, SD for 19 years, serving several roles including technical writer and editor, field trainer, and corporate video producer.

He moved to Bay Area of California in 1973 before returning to Sioux Falls 2 years later. He met his current partner Rahn Anderson in 1977. They were legally married in San Francisco in 2008. In 1978 he was one of the founding members of the Sioux Empire Gay and Lesbian Coalition (SEGLC) and in 1985 founded the first AIDS support group in South Dakota, the Eastern Dakota AIDS Network (EDAN). He “retired” from gay activation when he and Rahn moved to California in 1991.

Greggy and Rahn began producing a series of video documentaries for the Metropolitan Community Church of San Francisco (MCC-SF) in 1997, winning 3 Telly awards as a result. He began working for Cisco Systems in San Jose in 1999 where he is currently a Metrics Analyst in the Learning and Development Solutions Group.

In 2007 he trained to become a member of the San Francisco Neighborhood Emergency Response Team (NERT) and has been the Diamond Heights coordinator since 2010 and is an active member of the Diamond Heights Disaster Ready workgroup (http://disasterreadydhsf.com).

In 2007 he became a volunteer with the Castro Community on Patrol (CCOP). A short time later he joined the Board, and in 2008 became its Chair. He is also a member of the SFPD/LGBT Police Forum and the San Francisco District Attorney LGBT Forum.

Chief Ken Craig

Deputy Chief Ken Craig

KCTO, KCCO, St.SPCB, OVC, OSC

Joined CCOP:  2006 (Original founding member of CCOP)

Position:

  • Deputy Chief of Patrol – Patrol Division
  • Vice Chairperson of the Board of Advisers – Administrative Division
  • Director of Volunteer Training, Certification & Emergency Services Liaison
  • Knight Commander of the venerable Castro Order (KCCO)

CCOP Awards / Recognition:

  • 15 year Continuous Service Pin 2021
  • 10 year Continuous Service Pin 2016
  • Founding Member Plaque 2016
  • Outstanding Dedication 10 years Trophy 2016
  • Outstanding Volunteer Commendation Bar 2014 (OVC)
  • Outstanding Service Commendation Bar 2013 (OSC)
  • Training Instructor Commendation Bar 2013
  • 5 year Continuous Service Pin 2012
  • Certificate of Appreciation 2008

Other Awards & Recognition:

  • 10/21/2018 – Certificate of Appreciation – SFPD Auxiliary Law Enforcement Response Team
  • 01/27/2017 – Certificate of Recognition – California State Senate
  • 01/27/2017 – Certificate of Recognition – California State Assembly
  • 01/27/2017 – Certificate of Honor – Mayor, City and County of San Francisco
  • 01/27/2017 – Certificate of Honor – City Assessor – Recorder, City and County of San Francisco
  • 01/27/2017 – Exemplary ALERT Leadership Trophy – Neighborhood Empowerment Network
  • 10/02/2016 – Certificate of Recognition – California State Senate
  • 07/12/2014 – Certificate of Completion – Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigations Citizens Academy
  • 12/18/2013 – Certificate of Completion – SFPD Citizens Academy
  • 04/13/2013 – Certificate of Completion – SFPD Auxiliary Law Enforcement Response Team
  • 12/16/2012 – Certificate of Sainthood – Order of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence as St. Serve and Protect of the Castro Beat (St.SPBC)
  • 06/18/2012 – Certificate of Recognition – San Francisco District Attorney
  • 05/31/2012 – Certificate of Recognition – Safety Awareness For Everyone
  • 05/31/2012 – Certificate of Recognition – California State Assembly
  • 11/02/2008 – Certificate of Recognition – Safety Awareness For Everyone

Ken is one of the original founding members of Castro Community On Patrol, and the only founding member who remains actively involved with the organization as a volunteer and Patroller.

As a Grand Master instructor of martial arts and head of Triangle Martial Arts Association when CCOP was being formed in mid 2006, Ken was asked to attend and speak at the very first public meeting at Joe’s Barber Shop on 17th Street in the Castro. Shortly after that meeting an organizing group was formed and Ken was asked to develop the volunteer training materials for a walking safety patrol.  The training content and concept was then approved by the San Francisco Police Department and by SF Safety Awareness For Everyone (SAFE) who remain our fiscal sponsors.  Ken led the very first volunteer training class for CCOP on November 11, 2006 certifying the first 23 volunteers for patrol, and he has conducted most subsequent volunteer training class since then as our director of Volunteer Training and Certification for CCOP.

Ken was born and raised in Scotland in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland – making him both Scottish and British (which confuses many people.)  He joined the Corps of Royal Military Police at 17 1/2, a part of the British Army.  When he left the military he worked at the Royal Navy Nuclear Submarine Base, at Faslane in Scotland during their Trident nuclear missile expansion, and subsequently at the Royal Naval Armaments Depot in Coulport also in Scotland.  He later worked as a lead systems engineer at the Nuclear Electric, Pressure Water Reactor project in Knutsford, England;  at Allegehney Power in Pittsburg, PA;  at AIL Defense Systems on the B1 bomber project on Long Island, NY;  at Exxon Company USA in Benecia, CA; and BayTec Engineering in Napa, CA which worked in the bio-tech field.

Ken holds a 9th Degree black belt in the Korean Hap Moosa Ki-Do martial art;  a 9th Degree black belt in the Yong Chul-Do martial art;  and an 8th Degree black belt in the Korean Tae Kwon-Do martial art – all of which are Grand Master rankings.  Ken is a Knight Commander of the most illustrious Triangle Order, Knight Commander of the venerable Castro Order, and Saint “Serve and Protect of the Castro Beat” of the Order of The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence. He has also been recognized regularly for his indefatigable community work by the State of California, the City and County of San Francisco Board of Supervisors, the San Francisco Fire Department NERT program, the San Francisco Police Department, the San Francisco District Attorney and many other governmental and community entities.

Ken is also heavily involved in many other community service activities:

Ken lives and works in San Francisco in the Rincon Hill neighborhood with his husband, Paul, whom he met in 1997.  Ken & Paul were married at San Francisco City Hall on October 30, 2008 just slipping in under the wire before the contentious Proposition 8 passed two days later which stopped same sex marriage in California.  Ken became a naturalized U.S. Citizen on August 15, 2012.

Deputy Chief Brian Hill

KCCO, OVC, OSC

Joined CCOP:  2009

Position:

  • Deputy Chief of Patrol – Patrol Division
  • Assistant Vice Chairperson – Administrative Division
  • Director of IT Support & Electronic Communications
  • Knight Commander of the Castro Order (KCCO)

CCOP Awards / Recognition:

  • 10 year Continuous Service Pin 2019
  • Outstanding Volunteer Commendation 2018 (OVC)
  • Outstanding Service Commendation 2014 (OSC)
  • 5 year Continuous Service Pin 2014
  • 3 year Continuous Service Pin 2012

Profile details to come.

Deputy Chief Kyle Wong

KCCO, OVC, OSC

Joined CCOP:  2014

Position:

  • Deputy Chief of Patrol – Patrol Division
  • Board of Advisers Member – Administrative Division
  • Staff Officer – Administrative assistant to the Patrol Chiefs and Board of Advisers
  • Knight Commander of the Castro Order 2022 (KCCO)

CCOP Awards / Recognition:

  • Promoted to Deputy Chief (DChf.) of Patrol 05/2022
  • Outstanding Service Commendation 2019 (OSC)
  • 5 year Continuous Service Pin (2019)
  • Advanced to Knight of the venerable Castro Order (KCO) 06/2017
  • Promoted to Assistant Deputy Chief (ADChf.) of Patrol 06/2017
  • Outstanding Volunteer Commendation 2016 (OVC)
  • Patroller of the Year 2016 (CSG)
  • Patroller of the Year 2015 (CSG)
  • Promoted to Senior Patroller (SPtlr.)  03/2016
  • Appointment to CCOP Board of Advisers  04/2015
  • Graduated CCOP Basic Training Class 043  11/11/2014

Profile to come.

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