Newport Beach Police Department
On September 3, 1906, the City of Newport Beach was officially incorporated. The first City Hall was located East of the Newport Pier on the Oceanfront. The Police Department used several offices in the City Hall building until they moved to their own building on Court Avenue.
During these early years, various Marshals headed the Police Department. The Newport Beach Marshal’s in order of service were J.W. Struckenbruck, M.H. Swain, Albert Hermes, James Porter with Deputy William Uhlrich, David L. Adams, and Jesse A. Winn.
In 1928, an election took place, which changed the administration of the City of Newport Beach. As part of this change, Rowland R. Hodgkinson was made the first Chief of the Newport Beach Police Department. Rowland Hodgkinson served for 27 years from 1928 – 1952. The following shows the structure of the Newport Beach Police Department in 1929: “The police committee of the city council consists of Lloyd Claire and Paul B. Ellsworth. This committee is charged by the mayor and council with the direction of the force. Rowland Hodgkinson is chief of this force. He is a ‘home town’ boy who made good at home – having been in the ranks before being elevated to the chiefship. The other members of the force at present are R. E. Baldridge, G. W. Calihan, S. F. Naylor, E. T. Nickles, R. G. Waterlue and G. H. Wells.” (1929 Police Book)
Chief Hodgkinson retired in 1952 and John Upson became the acting Chief. John Upson was appointed Chief in 1953 and retired in 1961.
In 1961, B. James Glavas, a former Captain with the Los Angeles Police Department, was appointed Chief. Chief Glavas was hired at a time when tourism, population and crime in Newport Beach were increasing.
James Glavas was Chief of the Newport Beach Police Department from 1961 – 1977. Many changes within the Department occurred during this time. Some of these changes included the Police Department’s move from City Hall on 32nd Avenue to its new building at 870 Santa Barbara Drive in November of 1974; the Vice and Intelligence Unit was formed in 1966; the pistol range was opened in January of 1976; the Police Department installed its first computer-aided dispatch system in 1976; and the number of employees at the Police Department increased from 109 in 1966 to 157 in 1973.
Chief Glavas served as president of county and state Chiefs of Police Associations and on the board of the International Association. He retired in 1977.
Charles Gross was Chief of the Newport Beach Police Department from 1977 to 1985. Before coming to the Police Department, Charles Gross had served 28 years with the Los Angeles Police Department retiring as deputy chief. Chief Gross retired in 1985.
Arb Campbell became Chief of Police in March of 1986. Arb Campbell had joined the Police Department 20 years before as a patrolman and rose through the ranks to the position of Chief. Chief Campbell left the Department in 1993.
Bob McDonell was Chief of Police of the City of Newport Beach from August of 1993 to June of 2007. Chief McDonell graduated with honors from Golden Gate University in San Francisco with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Administration of Justice. He also holds a State of California Limited Service Teaching Credential as well as other related professional certificates.
Chief McDonell had represented California Police Chiefs on two State-level groups, the California Safety Belt Task Force, and for three terms as a member of the Board of Directors of the California Police Chiefs’ Association (which represents 336 Municipal Police Chiefs on a variety of legislative, policy and funding issues). He had served for a total of five years on the Association’s Executive Committee as an Officer of the Association along with completing a term as President of that Association and as its Immediate Past President.Bob also served as President of the Orange County Chiefs of Police and Sheriff’s Association, and was elected to represent the Orange County Police Chiefs as a member of the Random Access Network (RAN) Board of Directors, which governs the use and operation of all Countywide automated fingerprint equipment. He was a member of the Board of Directors of the Regional Narcotics Suppression Program (RNSP), a task force of Municipal, State and Federal Law Enforcement Officers that targets major narcotics offenders/operations. Chief McDonell also was one of two Chiefs representing the Orange County Chiefs on the County Criminal Justice Coordinating Committee, and he chaired the Countywide Integrated Law & Justice Project Steering Committee, representing all participants of the Criminal Justice System, as well as the City Managers Association and the County Executive’s Office. The task is a multi-million dollar effort to improve the efficiency and information sharing of all those who are served by the Criminal Justice System.
John Klein was the Chief of Police from July 1, 2007 to July 10, 2009. Prior to his appointment as Chief, he served for 27 years with the Department, working in every division, including spending 18 years on the SWAT Team, five of which he was in command of that unit. Prior to his promotion to Chief, he served as Captain of the Patrol/Traffic Division, which is the largest Division within the Department and encompasses the uniformed personnel who provide direct law enforcement services to the City.
Chief Klein earned his Bachelor’s Degree from Cal State – Long Beach in Occupational Studies/Emergency Management and was in the proces of pursuing a Master’s Degree in Emergency Services Administration from Cal State – Long Beach during his tenure.
Chief Klein served as the Vice Chair of the Integrated Law and Justice Agency for Orange County, and was the Chairperson for the Airborne Law Enforcement Joint Powers Authority overseeing the helicopter operations for the cities of Newport Beach, Costa Mesa and Santa Ana. He was also on the Board of Directors for the Orange County Regional Narcotics Suppression Program.
Robert M. Luman was the Chief of Police from July 10, 2009 to June 30, 2010. Luman began his career as a Long Beach Police Officer in 1968 and rose through the ranks. He was appointed as the Department’s Chief of Police in 1996, where he was responsible for the overall leadership and management of the Police Department. Chief Luman served over 36 years as a Police Officer, with 22 years of Police Command Officer experience. In 2000, Chief Luman served as the Interim Chief of Police in the City of Riverside, and in 2002, he was selected as the Chief of Police for the City of Redondo Beach. He retired in April 2006.
Chief Luman has a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from the University of Southern California (USC). He is also a graduate of the FBI National Executive Institute, the FBI National Academy, and the California State Commission on Police Officer Standards and Training Executive Management Course. In 1992, Chief Luman received the Law Enforcement Professional Achievement Award from the California Peace Officers’ Association. Chief Luman is a member of the following associations: Life Member, International Association of Chiefs of Police; California Police Chiefs’ Association; and the California Police Officers’ Association.
Chief Luman was selected as the Interim Chief of Police for the Newport Beach Police Department on July 10, 2009. Chief Luman assumed duties as an active Board Member for the Airborne Law Enforcement Joint Powers Authority overseeing the helicopter operations for the cities of Newport Beach, Costa Mesa, and Santa Ana. He also served on the Board of Directors for the Orange County Regional Narcotics Suppression Program.
Robert Luman is a member of the Adjunct Faculty at Los Angeles Harbor College instructing in the Social and Behavioral Sciences Department. He has also worked as a private consultant for a number of public agencies providing services on public safety-related matters.
Chief Jay R. Johnson was the ninth Chief of Police in the Department’s history, serving from July 3, 2010 to March 22, 2016. He is a Southern California native, born and raised in Long Beach. He attended California State University, Long Beach where he earned a Bachelor of Science Degree and a Masters Degree in Public Administration (MPA). He is a graduate of several advanced law enforcement training courses including the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s National Academy for law enforcement executives as well as the Sherman Block Leadership Institute. Chief Johnson holds a POST Executive Certification.
Chief Johnson began his law enforcement career in April 1987 when he was hired as a Police Officer by the Long Beach Police Department. He worked for the Long Beach Police Department for over 23 years, rising to the rank of Commander. Over the course of his career, Chief Johnson worked in a variety of assignments, including Patrol, Field Training Officer, Gangs, Narcotics Enforcement Team, Special Enforcement Section, and the Community Policing Team. Additionally, Chief Johnson served 12 years on the SWAT Team, holding every rank on the SWAT team up to SWAT Commander.
As Commander, Chief Johnson’s array of assignments included managing divisions within the Patrol Bureau, Investigations Bureau, and the Support Bureau. Chief Johnson has received numerous awards, including several Unit Citations, the SWAT Team’s Commitment to Excellence Award, and a Meritorious Class “A” Award for heroism.
Chief Johnson was very involved in the Newport Beach community as a member of the Chamber of Commerce Commodore’s Club and Amigos Viejo (old friends) Club, as well as having associations with the Rotary Club, Exchange Club, and Noble Viking Charities of Orange County. He was a member of the California Police Chiefs Association and the International Association of Chiefs of Police. The Chief also served on several professional boards and committees: The Regional Narcotic Suppression Program (RNSP) Executive Board, Orange County Regional Computer Forensics Laboratory (OCRCFL) Local Executive Board, Proposition 69 (DNA) Committee , and was the chairman of the Airborne Law Enforcement(ABLE) Joint Powers Authority.