A retired interim Huntington Beach police chief was appointed to the Emergency and Disaster Preparedness Committee on July 19.
The Laguna Beach City Council appointed Julian Harvey, a 33-year Laguna Beach resident, to fill a vacancy created by the resignation of Bob Elster, who is planning to move out of town.
Harvey started his public safety career as a Laguna Beach seasonal lifeguard and later served as one of three full-time lifeguards. The vast majority of his 30 years in law enforcement were with the Anaheim Police Department, which included a stint as acting police chief.
“I just want to offer my services in a capacity where I think I can be of the most benefit to the city,” Harvey said.
For the last six years, Harvey served on the Audit Review & Measure LL Oversight, which oversaw revenue collected from a 2% Transient Occupancy Tax increase to fund marine safety, police, fire protection, and public works. He currently works as vice president of security and guest services for OC V!iBe, a planned entertainment and residential district anchored by the Honda Center
He’s also a parent of three young children.
Dr. William Dodge, a U.S. Navy veteran and emergency medicine physician for Providence Mission Hospital, was appointed as an alternate committee member. His service included stints as a senior emergency physician at the U.S. Naval Medical Center, San Diego and U.S. States Naval Hospital Yokosuka, Japan.
While deployed to the East African nation of Djibouti, Dodge served as the Emergency Medical Services Director for U.S. Armed Forces, Africa. He oversaw the procedures and operations to evacuate U.S. service members throughout the continent.
He also served as a senior flight surgeon for the Marine Corps aviation community in Twentynine Palms, Calif.
As a physician who has worked in the Laguna Beach emergency department for 12 years, Dodge was partially inspired to apply for the committee after watching the Coastal Fire.
“That interest became more poignant recently when I went to go pick up my son from Aliso Creek and there was a fire [near] The Ranch approaching his school,” Dodge said.
Dodge is also the father of three young children.
Matt Lawson, chair of the Emergency and Disaster Preparedness Committee, said he’s very proud to consider himself a colleague of Harvey, Dodge, and his fellow incumbent committee members.
“I’m extremely pleased to have Julian as a member of the committee. I think he’ll bring a tremendous understanding of public safety to our city,” Lawson said.
Looks like two well-qualified individuals to serve on this important Committee!