Newport Beach Police Chief Joe Cartwright announces retirement

Newport Beach Police Chief Joe Cartwright announced his retirement Wednesday, bringing an end to 23 years of service with the department.

Cartwright worked as a police officer in Los Angeles for three years before moving to Newport Beach in 2002. He became the department’s interim chief in 2022 and wound up formally moving into the role on a permanent basis about a year later. He’s NBPD’s 11th police chief and has been responsible for over 200 employees split into five divisions and additional specialized units.

“Joe has been an important part of our executive team and brought many improvements and technologies to his department that will have a positive impact for years to come,” City Manager Grace Leung stated. “I’m deeply appreciative of his many years of service to the city and his leadership for the last several years.”

During his time as the head of the police department, Cartwright has overseen the implementation of automated license plate readers that can spot suspicious vehicles throughout the city, a new drone program and virtual-reality simulation training for officers. He has placed his focus on residential burglaries, the fentanyl epidemic and other issues concerning residents in Newport Beach and other communities. Distributing the overdose reversal medication Narcan and training more people to administer it was one of his earliest priorities as chief.

Cartwright, 52, has also sought to promote both officer wellness as well as greater communication between the police department and the public. He has been committed to putting on regular Mobile Cafe events where officers and residents can share coffee, pick up some swag and get to know each other.

“The people in Newport Beach are our eyes and ears out there,” Cartwright told the Daily Pilot in a March 2023 interview. “The more that we can educate them and how they can help, the better. Crime prevention is a team sport. People know their neighborhoods, their businesses well. If they see something is suspicious, invariably it’s always, ‘I don’t want to bother you guys,’ but that’s why we’re here. We want you to bother us.

Cartwright’s employment with the department officially ends at the end of this calendar year. City officials have undertaken a nationwide recruitment process to choose his successor.