By Jon Moskin
With over 1,500 employees, patients, and residents, as well as a constant flow of contractors, visitors, and community partners coming and going, 24 hours a day, the safety needs for a 9-acre campus are vast and often complex. It’s not your average security job. It’s an enormous operation.
And behind it all is an expert security team, led by Jack Chan and Demetrius Barrara, two former law enforcement officers with years of experience and a round-the-clock dedication to our community’s safety and well-being. They are among the best at what they do. The question is what makes them so good?
“A lot of what we do is preventing things from happening rather than reacting after they happen,” Demetrius said. Being proactive before incidents can occur means monitoring world events, assessing emerging risks internationally, nationally, and locally, and continually adjusting security measures based on what they learn.
The team regularly collaborates with the nursing staff, clinical leadership, safety managers, and other departments to strengthen emergency preparedness across the campus. “We know we can’t be everywhere at once,” Demetrius said. “So training our nurses, CNAs and frontline employees creates a much stronger response when emergencies happen.” And together, they develop response plans, conduct drills and train frontline staff, recognizing that everyone plays a role in keeping the facility safe.
Our campus comes with unique security responsibilities, which are thoughtfully integrated into daily operations.
“With the word ‘Jewish’ in our name, we have a lot of specific concerns and additional responsibilities,” said Demetrius. In light of that reality, the security department partners with the Department of Homeland Security and the Secure Community Network, a nationwide organization that shares intelligence and best safety practices among Jewish institutions. By staying informed about evolving threats and trends, the team continuously strengthens its security posture while maintaining a comfortable and welcoming environment.
“We continually strive to ensure the safety and security of all staff members, residents, patients, visitors, and anyone who steps foot onto our campus.”
– Jack Chan, Security Supervisor, SFCJL
In addition to their national and international collaborations, our security team works closely with local police, fire officials, and emergency responders throughout the year, training alongside SFFD and SFPD department personnel. Local law enforcement maintains an active, visible presence around the campus through routine patrols and ongoing collaboration.
Constant information-sharing is essential to campus security, because no two days are ever the same. Shift changes, visitors at all hours, community events, and unexpected situations mean the campus climate is constantly changing. Yet behind every plan, patrol, and partnership is the same goal: a safe environment where residents can feel at home, clinicians, medical professionals and caregivers can focus on patient care, and families can have confidence that their loved ones are safe and protected.
There is one more reason why our security department is so dedicated and effective. “We see the compassion of the nurses, and the CNAs, and caregivers, and it brings out our own compassion,” Demetrius said. “It’s something I truly appreciate, and it’s why I love coming to work every day and doing whatever we can to keep the campus safe.”