New H.B. police department’s public information officer learns on the job

Jennifer Carey pressed “send” on the email to various media outlets at 2:59 a.m. Sunday morning.

She made it home from the Huntington Beach Police Department by about 4 a.m. but didn’t get to sleep, as she began fielding calls from reporters about an hour later.

It was a busy welcome to the end of her first week on the job as the department’s new public information officer.

“My idea when I came into this was that I’m just going to kind of tiptoe into this and learn about the police department,” Carey said. “Obviously, that didn’t happen … but I knew that was the job coming in. The police department operates 24-7.”

Carey, 35, takes over for former Officer Angie Bennett, who resigned from the position — and the force — last October due to complications during her recovery from breast cancer. Carey started on the job on May 17 and, after a day and a half of training, was almost immediately thrust into action.

“Adrian’s kickback,” a birthday party spurred on by a social media post on TikTok, drew about 2,500 people to the area around Pier Plaza on Saturday night and resulted in 149 arrests.

There were 29 more arrests made Sunday night, after people started throwing fireworks at police officers.

Carey monitored social media and worked with people in the department, including interim Police Chief Julian Harvey, to make sure that accurate details were being communicated to media and thus to the general public.

Jennifer Carey is a Huntington Beach resident who previously worked for the city of Long Beach.

(Scott Smeltzer / Staff Photographer)

Carey, whose background is in public relations, is working for a police department for the first time.

The Fountain Valley High School graduate, who was born and lives in Huntington Beach, graduated with a bachelor’s degree in political science from Arizona State University.

She previously worked in the private sector, before spending five years with the city of Long Beach as a community relations officer in the department of Public Works.

She also was a key member of Long Beach’s Joint Information Center, which relayed information about COVID-19 and civil unrest. In that role, she said she got to work a good amount with LBPD.

Of course, handling a “kickback” a few days into her new job was something totally different. Carey doesn’t even get officially sworn in as the Public Information Officer until June 1.

“Having the experience of being thrown into the event that we had, it made me appreciate the officers and staff that we have here so much more,” she said. “I dove in headfirst, and in hindsight, I learned a lot from the event that took place. My respect level grew exponentially for the people in this department.”

Carey did not mind her role, describing herself as a workaholic who loves the fast-paced, reactionary situations that she may encounter in her new position.

Additionally, she is proud to call Surf City home and serve her community in this way.

“We want people to come to Huntington,” she said. “We want people to come to the beach, we want people to take advantage of the restaurants and businesses that we have here. We just want them to abide by the laws. We don’t want them to be destructive and violent.”

Harvey said the hiring of Carey fills a critical role in the department.

“Without [Bennett] on board, it just left a big void that others have to fill,” he said. “It usually falls on someone that has other responsibilities. So, to have someone of Jennifer’s caliber and background focusing on this essential function is hugely beneficial. We’re very lucky, very fortunate to have her on board.

“She was indoctrinated on the first day, literally, and she’s done a great job.”

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