NEWPORT BEACH : Police Department Honors 3 Employees

Three Police Department employees have been honored for outstanding service and commitment to the community.

The department named Charles Beswick, a 20-year employee, its Officer of the Year. Lea Scruggs, a 23-year department secretary, was named Civilian Employee of the Year and Bruce Tice, a six-year temporary patrol officer was named Reserve Officer of the Year.

The Newport Harbor Exchange Club honored the three with plaques during a recent luncheon.

“We get involved in community activities because we’d like to honor the people who support and represent us in the community, people who are simply underappreciated and taken for granted,” said Richard Brown, president of the Exchange Club, a service organization that targets issues involving patriotism and youth.

Police Sgt. Andy Gonis said department supervisors selected the honorees based on their performance over the past year.

Beswick, who heads the check-investigation detail, has previously worked as a field training and SWAT team officer, and as an environmental service officer, investigating hazardous material spills and loud parties.

Beswick, who is now secretary to Police Chief Arb Campbell, will also be honored by the American Legion in October, Gonis said.

Tice is a full-time rowing and sailing instructor at Orange Coast College who joined the department as a reserve officer in 1985.

The Police Department’s annual awards are given to boost morale and to better acquaint the community with city employees, Gonis said.

“We feel it’s a way of recognizing our outstanding employees and a way of personalizing, for the community, the outstanding people that we have working for us,” he said.