Interim Chief of Police Joseph Kreins
Chief Joseph Kreins is a tenured law enforcement and municipal government executive with more than 40 years of experience, working with cities, counties, and special districts throughout California. Chief Kreins began his career with the City of Concord, where he rose through the ranks of the police department. During his 17 years in Concord, he served as the department’s first-ever Public Information Officer (a position that he held for 4 years). He was one of the department’s key architects in working to develop their community engagement and community policing strategies in the 1980’s and 1990’s. After serving as a District Commander, Kreins left Concord in 2001 and was appointed Chief of Police for the Sausalito Police Department. In 2003, Kreins was appointed to the position of assistant city manager.
In 2004, Chief Kreins left Sausalito and was appointed Chief of Police for the City of Novato, a community of approximately 55,000 residents. He led that department until 2012, when he was recruited to serve as Chief of Police for the City of Vallejo (2012-2014.)
From 2014-2022, Chief Kreins served as the interim Chief of Police in the cities of Vallejo, Benicia, Winters, Novato, Clayton and Suisun City. Chief Kreins has worked as an independent municipal government and law enforcement consultant for more than 10 years and has served as a POST certified facilitator/presenter for California law enforcement agencies in team building and strategic planning workshops. He has facilitated several organizational audits/assessments of numerous law enforcement agencies throughout the San Francisco Bay Area.
Police Captain Terrence Joseph Cotcher began his law enforcement career with the East Bay Regional Park District Police Department in 2006 as a police recruit. In August 2023, he was promoted to Captain and is assigned to and oversees the Operations Division.
Captain Cotcher graduated from the University of California, Davis, with a bachelor’s degree in History and a minor in Political Science. He then became a public school teacher.
In 2007 he became a Police officer, working in patrol and the Special Enforcement Unit and later utilizing his teaching skills as a firearms instructor. In 2015, he was promoted to Sergeant and worked in the Personnel & Training Unit in charge of all department training and hiring of employees. In July of 2018, he was promoted to Lieutenant.
Captain Cotcher resides in Brentwood with his family and is an avid user of the Park District.
Lieutenant David Phulps began his law enforcement career with the East Bay Regional Park District Police Department in 1999. Promoted to Lieutenant in 2017, he now serves as the Support Services lieutenant, where he oversees the Recruitment and Training, Budget, Fleet Maintenance, building, and other projects. He is also the Information Services Liaison.
Lieutenant Phulps served four years in the Marine Corps, assigned to aviation units in Arizona and Japan. He graduated Cum Laude from Southern Illinois University with a BS in Management.
During his tenure with the Department, he’s been a Crime Scene Investigator, Field Training Officer, member of the Alameda County Sexual Assault Felony Enforcement Task Force, SWAT Team Leader, Detective, and Patrol Sergeant, and he has supervised the Professional Standards Unit.
He is a husband and father to two boys.
Lieutenant Giorgio Chevez began his law enforcement career with the East Bay Regional Park District Police Department in 2008. Promoted to the rank of Lieutenant in 2021, he oversees half of the Patrol Operations Division, the Special Enforcement Unit, and the Air Support Unit.
Lieutenant Giorgio graduated from San Francisco State University, with a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice. He is also a graduate of the 142nd Alameda County Sheriff’s Office Police Academy.
He served in many roles throughout his career, including the Police Association President, Field Training Officer, Investigator for a Regional Narcotics Task Force, Sergeant in the Operations Division, and Investigations Unit Sergeant.
Lieutenant Chevez resides in Contra Costa County with his family.
Lieutenant Joseph Scott began his law enforcement career with the East Bay Regional Park District Police Department in 2004 as a Public Safety Student Aide and was later hired as a police recruit in 2005. Promoted to Lieutenant in 2023, he oversees half of the Patrol Operations Division, the Field Training Program, the Investigations Unit, and the Department’s partnerships with the East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD) and the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC).
Lieutenant Scott graduated from California State University East Bay with a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice Administration. He has served in many roles throughout his career, including Field Training Officer, Police Service Canine Handler, SWAT Team Leader, Special Enforcement Unit Sergeant, and Detective Sergeant.
Communications, Records, and Property Manager Patty Gershaneck began her career with the East Bay Regional Park District as a Public Safety Communications Dispatcher in 2003. Patty was promoted to her current position where she manages the Communications Center, Records, and Property/Evidence Units. She also works with Park Operations maintaining the District’s radio and cell phone infrastructure and security systems. She is the Special District Representative for the Technical Advisory Committee of the East Bay Regional Communications System Authority (EBRCSA).
During her tenure in the Communications Center Patty has served as a Community Service Officer, Crime Scene Technician, Records Supervisor, Dispatch Supervisor, and Communications Training Officer.