MGCCC Police Officer Kyle Craig

Kyle Craig, a police officer at The Bryant Center and West Harrison County Center, Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, was recently awarded the Golden Deeds Award by the Gulfport Exchange Club.

“Getting the award was a surprise to me,” he said. “I attend a lot of functions through various organizations and thought this was just an event I needed to attend; I did not know I would be honored. I was so happy to have my wife with me and wished my kids could have been there too.”

Craig is the executive director of Advocates for Freedom (AFF), the state’s premier organization to battle human trafficking.  A certified instructor in human trafficking, he provides expert training for police officers, police academies, schools, civic organizations, churches, businesses, and other entities.  He has spoken to tens of thousands of people all over the Gulf Coast and in surrounding states on human trafficking awareness and even lectured a large prominent international government leaders conference.  Through AAF, Craig oversees 500 volunteers and partners with several other organizations to help victims with counseling, legal representation, housing, food and clothing, transportation, family reunification, addiction services, medical attention, continued education, and more.

Craig began his career in Memphis, Tennessee before moving to the MS Gulf Coast in 2016. While in Memphis, Craig was named Officer of the Month five times, and selected as Officer of the Year and First Responder of the Year in Pass Christian.  He was named the Pass Christian Chamber of Commerce Officer of the Year in 2018 and Keesler Federal Credit Union’s First Responder of the Year in 2018 after saving a man’s life with CPR.

In addition to working full time as a police officer and executive director of AFF, he is an ordained minister at a church in Bay St. Louis, volunteers at a food kitchen, owns and operates two businesses, is the president of the Garden Isle Community Association, rescues dogs, and supports Hancock County Friends of the Animal Shelter.

Craig is married to Amarilys, and is the father of Chiara, Nicholas, Wynnie, and Bell.  They have five dogs.

 

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