About Us
Retired Chief of Police - Law Enforcement/Public Safety Consultant
Founded & Managed by Joseph Kreins
Joseph Kreins, Consultant, has over 45 years of public safety and law enforcement experience.His expertise includes the full range of policing disciplines based on experience in several smalland mediumsized cities. As a consultant, Joseph provides expert advice on best practices in policing, leadership development, organizational assessments, recruitment and promotional processes, organization and command structures, municipal services, training, and community and media relations.
Chief Joseph Kreins began his career in law enforcement when he became a police cadet/intern with the Concord, CA Police Department in 1974. He was hired as a police officer with the City of Sausalito, in 1980. Kreins then returned to the Concord Police Department in 1985 and rose through the ranks, completing his tenure with Concord PD as a Lieutenant/District Commander. While in Concord, Joseph also served as the Department’s first-ever Public Information Officer (a position that held for 4 years). In 2001, Kreins was appointed Chief of Police for the Sausalito Police Department. Two years later he was promoted to assistant city manager. Along with his position of Police Chief, his responsibilities included leadership and management of the City Fire Department, as well as Information Technology and City Parking Services.
In 2004, Joseph 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), a community of 120,000. Chief Kreins provided leadership in Vallejo during a critical period, following that City’s emergence from bankruptcy. During that time, police staffing levels were significantly reduced due to financial challenges, and there were serious concerns about crime in Vallejo. During his tenure in Vallejo, the Department successfully reduced crime across all categories, enhanced community trust and relationships and significantly restored police staffing.
Chief Kreins has served as the interim Chief of Police in the cities of Vallejo, Benicia, Winters, Novato, Clayton and Suisun City. Joseph has also served as a Special Advisor and public safety consultant to the CEO of the Sonoma Marin Area Rail Transit (SMART). Additionally, he has served as consultant to the Central Marin Police Authority, completing management, team building, strategic planning and an organizational audit of that agency. Chief Kreins has also completed comprehensive organizational assessments of the Vacaville and Redlands Police Departments.
Chief Kreins is a law enforcement consultant and currently serves as a POST certified facilitator/presenter for California law enforcement agencies in team building and strategic planning workshops. Additional consulting services include: clients for supervisory/management and executive recruitments, promotional processes, organizational audits/assessments, and numerous team building and strategic planning workshops. Some clients include the following:
- Antioch, Fairfield, and Martinez Police Departments
- City of Novato and Novato Police Department, Winters Police Department
- Visalia, Avenal, and Vacaville Police Departments
- Solano County Chiefs Association and the Suisun City Police Department
- San Leandro Police Department
- City of Redlands and Redlands Police Department
- Central Marin Police Authority
- Campbell, Los Gatos and Pinole Police Departments
- San Pablo, Santa Rosa and Petaluma Police Departments
- Walnut Creek Police Department
- Mill Valley and Tiburon Police Departments
Chief Kreins has become a subject matter expert in managing transitions in law enforcement agencies. Joseph was an outside candidate when he was selected as the Chief of Police in the cities of Sausalito, Novato and Vallejo Police Departments. All three agencies had experienced significant levels of dysfunction prior to Chief Kreins being appointed as the new chief. Chief Kreins was able to stabilize each agency, replace policies and procedures, develop strategic plans, and enhance the morale and professionalism of each agency. In his capacity as the Interim Chief of Police in several San Francisco Bay Area Police Departments, Chief Kreins facilitated the recruitments of the next Chief of Police, and provided expertise in building a foundation, and paving the way for a seamless transition of leadership.
Chief Kreins holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Human Relations Management from Golden Gate University (magna cum laude). He holds certificates from the California Peace Officer Standards Training (P.O.S.T.), including a certificate in executive management. He has completed the Federal Bureau of Investigation – Law Enforcement Executive Development (LEEDS) program and the Senior Management Institute for Policing (SMIP) sponsored by the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF). Kreins has also attended many legal update seminars, numerous management and leadership symposiums through the International Association of Chiefs of Police, Police Executive Research Forum, California Peace Officers Association, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and California Police Chiefs Association.
Chief Kreins is a member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), has served on the board of directors for the California Police Chiefs Association (CPCA), and was president of the Solano County Law Enforcement Administrators Association and the Marin County Police Chiefs Association. He is a member of the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF) and California Peace Officers Association (CPOA). He served on the board of directors of the Marin Emergency Radio Authority (MERA), and he has also held leadership positions in Rotary International, North Marin Community Services – Novato Youth Center, and the Mt. Diablo YMCA board of directors.
For more than 25 years, Joseph has taught a variety of law enforcement training courses including; police/media relations, crisis communications, community-policing and problem-solving, community-oriented government, leadership development, and developing first-line supervisors. These courses were taught through the Peace Officers Standards Training programs – Supervisory and Management courses, and the California State Training Institute (CSTI) – California Office of Emergency Services (OES).
Chief Kreins founded the firm of Kreins Consulting in 2010 when he became the first law enforcement liaison to the Sonoma Marin Area Rail Transit Authority (SMART) – a commuter rail system connecting Sonoma and Marin Counties.
