On Monday, March 20, Newport Beach City Manager Grace Leung announced that Joe Cartwright, a 21-year veteran of the Newport Beach Police Department, has been named as its next Chief of Police.
Cartwright has held a variety of field and command-level positions in just over two decades with the department, serving most recently as acting chief since late December, following the retirement of his predecessor, Jon Lewis.
“Chief Cartwright brings a tremendous breadth and depth of public safety leadership experience to this position,” Leung said. “He is a proven leader with a passion for providing the best possible police services to the Newport Beach community.”
Cartwright will officially step into the new role next month when he will become the 11th Chief of Police in NBPD history. He leads a staff of 233 employees, who serve in five divisions and a variety of specialized units.
Cartwright began his law enforcement career with the Los Angeles Police Department in 1999 and joined the NBPD in 2002. He has worked in a variety of assignments, including patrol officer, accident investigator, Economic Crimes detective, Crimes Against Persons detective, and Crisis Negotiation Team member.
In 2010, he promoted to the rank of sergeant and worked as a Patrol sergeant, Field Training Program sergeant, Crisis Negotiation Team supervisor, and Professional Standards Unit sergeant.
In 2014, he promoted to the rank of lieutenant and served as the Area 4 commander, Area 2 commander, Jail manager, Traffic Services commander, and executive officer to the chief of police.
Prior to being appointed as the Acting Chief of Police, Chief Cartwright served as Deputy Chief of Police, Detective Division Commander.
He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in criminal justice, a Master of Arts degree in organizational management, and is a graduate of several advanced law enforcement training courses.
A veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps, Cartwright serves as the chairman of the board of directors for the Newport Beach 1st Battalion, 1st Marines Foundation, which provides support and relief for service members and their families.
