Charlie Beck

Beck is a native of Long Beach, California.{{Cite web |date=2018-01-25 |title=LAPD Chief Charlie Beck To Retire, Black Community Share Mixed Views on His Legacy |url=https://lasentinel.net/lapd-police-chief-charlie-beck-to-retire-black-community-share-mixed-views-on-his-legacy.html |access-date=2025-02-04 |website=Los Angeles Sentinel |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Folven |first=Edwin |date=2024-10-10 |title=Former LAPD veteran returns as chief of police |url=https://beverlypress.com/2024/10/former-lapd-veteran-returns-as-chief-of-police/ |access-date=2025-02-04 |website=Beverly Press & Park Labrea News |language=en-US}} He attended Mayfair High School in Lakewood, California, and then the California State University, Long Beach where he received a B.A. in occupational studies-vocational arts. His father, George, was also an LAPD officer, retiring at the rank of deputy chief in 1980.

{{See also|Rampart Scandal}}

Beck was appointed to the Los Angeles Police Department in March 1977 after serving two years with the Los Angeles Police Reserve Corps. As a patrol officer, his assignments included both the Rampart and Hollywood divisions. After promotion to sergeant in June 1984, Beck worked in the Department's C.R.A.S.H. program under then-chief, Daryl Gates, in the 1980s and early 1990s.{{cite web|title=Mayor Villaraigosa Announces New LAPD chief|url=http://www.scpr.org/news/2009/11/03/mayor-villaraigosa-announce-new-lapd-chief/|access-date=November 11, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110603235631/http://www.scpr.org/news/2009/11/03/mayor-villaraigosa-announce-new-lapd-chief/|archive-date=June 3, 2011|url-status=dead}} Beck worked in the Department's Internal Affairs division as a sergeant and a lieutenant. He was promoted to lieutenant in April 1993 and to captain in July 1999 (following that promotion he was initially assigned to Southeast Division, followed by terms as the Commanding Officer of Juvenile Division, Central Area and finally Rampart Area), and then commander in April 2005. In August 2006, he achieved the rank of deputy chief, the same rank that his father, a retired Los Angeles police officer, had attained. Upon that promotion, he assumed command of Operations-South Bureau. Beck went on to become Chief of Detectives, and implemented a number changes to the Detective Bureau, particularly in the use of technology (for which the Detective Bureau has overall responsibility for the entire LAPD). Beck was appointed Chief of Police in November 2009. According to the Los Angeles Times, Beck was paid a salary of $297,000 in 2011.{{cite news|last=Allen|first=Sam|title=Some police chief salaries boosted with cashouts|url=http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2012/07/police-chiefs-big-cashouts.html |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |date=July 11, 2012}}

File:Kamala Harris Delivers Remarks on 50th Anniversary of the Signing of the Civil Rights Act 04.jpg celebrate the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.]]

During the 2013 manhunt of Christopher Dorner, eight Los Angeles police officers fired 103 rounds at two innocent women who were delivering newspapers; one woman, a 71-year-old, was shot twice in the back, and the other woman was injured by broken glass. Even though a commission found that the eight officers violated department policy, none were suspended or fired; Beck chose to allow the shooting officers to return to duty after undergoing additional training.{{Cite web|last=Morrison|first=Sara|date=2014-02-05|title=Police Officers Who Shot at Two Innocent Women 103 Times Won't Be Fired|url=https://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2014/02/police-officers-who-shot-two-innocent-women-103-times-wont-be-fired/357771/|access-date=2020-06-24|website=The Atlantic|language=en-US}} In a settlement, the two women shot by police received $4.2 million from the City of Los Angeles; Beck described the shooting "a tragic misinterpretation" by police working under "incredible tension."Michael Winter, [https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/04/23/los-angeles-dorner-settlement/2107289/ 2 women hurt during L.A. manhunt to receive $4.2M], USA Today (April 23, 2013).

On April 17, 2015, California Attorney General Kamala Harris announced a statewide program of anti-bias training for law enforcement officers. Beck said removing built-in bias among officers "is not something you get inoculated against once in your life and that’s it. This takes constant retraining, constant discussion."{{cite news |title=State attorney general unveils ant-bias training for police |url=https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sdut-kamala-harris-seeks-to-reduce-built-in-biases-2015apr17-story.html |work=The San Diego Union-Tribune |date=April 17, 2015}} Beck and Harris had established a close working relationship. LAPD spokesman Josh Rubenstein stated that "Beck assigned a security detail for US Senator Kamala Harris shortly before she was sworn into office in 2017, based on a threat assessment he believed to be credible."{{cite news |title=Sen. Kamala Harris Given LAPD Protection, Even When She Wasn't in LA |url=https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/sen-kamala-harris-given-lapd-protection-outside-of-los-angeles/174971/ |work=NBC Los Angeles |date=September 7, 2018}}

On January 19, 2018, Beck announced his retirement later that year.{{cite news |url=http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-lapd-chief-beck-20180119-story.html|title=L.A. Police Chief Charlie Beck announces early retirement, ending eight-year tenure as head of the LAPD|first1=Kate|last1=Mather|first2=Cindy|last2=Chang|date=January 19, 2018 |work=Los Angeles Times}} On June 4 of that year, Mayor Garcetti announced that Michel Moore would succeed him on June 27.{{cite news |last1=Stoltze |first1=Frank |title=Michel Moore appointed LAPD chief to replace Charlie Beck |url=https://www.scpr.org/news/2018/06/04/83148/second-time-s-the-charm-garcetti-appoints-michel-m/ |access-date=June 4, 2018 |work=KPCC |date=June 4, 2018}}

On November 8, 2019, Chicago's mayor, Lori Lightfoot appointed Beck as the city's interim superintendent, to commence upon the retirement of incumbent Eddie Johnson.{{cite news |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/politics/ct-chicago-police-superintendent-lori-lightfoot-charlie-beck-20191108-77cv2yce7jhl3mho4rsnquflbq-story.html |title=Mayor Lori Lightfoot appoints retired LAPD Chief Charlie Beck as Chicago's interim top cop |date=November 8, 2019 |access-date=November 8, 2019 |newspaper=Chicago Tribune |last1=Gorner |first1=Jeremy |last2=Pratt |first2=Gregory }} Lightfoot praised Beck and said he "stood firmly on the side of immigrant rights in the face of opposition related to Los Angeles' status as a Sanctuary City, and its choices related to non-cooperation with federal immigration officials."{{cite news |title=Ex-LAPD Chief Charlie Beck named interim Chicago police superintendent |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2019/11/08/us/ex-lapd-chief-named-interim-chicago-police-superintendent/index.html |publisher=CNN |date=November 8, 2019}} Chicago will conduct a nationwide search for the permanent Superintendent. Beck declined a permanent position, and agreed to hold the Office for a few months. On April 2, 2020, Beck was replaced by former Dallas Police Department Chief David Brown as Superintendent.

Beck is known to be an avid motocross enthusiast, winning several awards in the sport, and is the current{{when|date=April 2019}} Police and Fire Motocross national champion. His sister, Megan, was a detective. His wife, Cindy, was a narcotics dog handler. Two of his children, Brandi and Martin, are LAPD officers. His daughter Megan is a Deputy Sheriff for LASD.{{cite news|last=Beck|first=Charlie|title=For LAPD's chief, a transformation |url=https://www.latimes.com/opinion/la-xpm-2012-apr-30-la-oe-beck-lapd-since-the-riots-20120430-story.html|access-date=June 5, 2012|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|date=April 30, 2012}}{{Cite magazine |first=Champ |last=Clark |date=22 February 2010 |title=Three Generations of Cops LAPD Dynasty |url=https://people.com/archive/three-generations-of-cops-lapd-dynasty-vol-73-no-7/ |magazine=People |access-date=17 July 2019}}

In 2016, Beck made a cameo appearance on Real Housewives of Beverly Hills when he ran into Erika Jayne and her husband Thomas Girardi while having lunch.{{cite web|url=http://realitywives.net/blogs/real-housewives-of-beverly-hills-recap-goodbye-implants-hello-hamptons/ |title=Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills Recap - Goodbye Implants, Hello Hamptons|date=January 6, 2016}}

In 2018, Beck appeared in a cameo role as Police Chief in the music video When the Seasons Change by Five Finger Death Punch.

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{{Succession box |title=Chief of Los Angeles Police Department|before=Michael P. Downing|after=Michel Moore|years=2009–2018}}

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Category:1953 births

Category:California State University, Long Beach alumni

Category:Superintendents of the Chicago Police Department

Category:Chiefs of the Los Angeles Police Department

Category:Living people

Category:People from Long Beach, California