Under Fire, Laguna’s Chief Lifeguard Takes Early Retirement

Marine Safety Manager Mike Dwinell has taken an early retirement effective today, a month after seasonal lifeguards intensified their demands for his ouster, city officials announced Wednesday.

Dwinell said he retired early because of the friction within the department and because he expects the city to cut lifeguard services in coming years, which would make his job harder. He denied mismanaging the department.

“We have a dysfunctional department down there at the moment,” he said, adding that he asked himself, “What am I to benefit by staying down there? What’s that going to do to me?”

Earlier this month, the city launched an investigation after seasonal lifeguards gave city officials a list of grievances spanning more than a decade and demanded that Dwinell either resign or be reassigned.

The lifeguards charged that Dwinell’s behavior has “compromised public safety, employee safety and departmental integrity.”

They alleged that Dwinell had directed employees to drive in unsafe vehicles and use hazardous chemicals without proper safety equipment. They also said his management style caused poor morale.

In response to the allegations, Dwinell stated: “I just feel it’s really sad they have chosen to use this approach. You can make up all kinds of things about people to get a point across.”

City Manager Kenneth C. Frank would not comment on the investigation, which he characterized as incomplete but closed because of Dwinell’s departure.

“As far as we’re concerned, at this point it’s a done issue, and we’re looking at the future,” Frank said.

Frank called Dwinell’s resignation “totally voluntary” and would not say whether it was tied to heightened tensions within the department.

“All I know is he retired early,” Frank said. “He just said it wasn’t worth it anymore for him to go through the stress.”

Dwinell worked for the department for nearly 27 years and was one of only three full-time city lifeguards.

Seasonal lifeguard Kevin Snow applauded Dwinell’s decision.

“It’s good for the city, it’s good for the lifeguard department, it’s good for the public and it’s good for Mike,” Snow said. “We will be able to rebuild morale.”

Dwinell had worked for the department since 1968, when he was an 18-year-old rookie lifeguard. He became the city’s chief lifeguard in 1991.

In a statement issued Wednesday, city officials credited Dwinell with helping to start the Laguna Beach Lifeguard Assn. and with spearheading the drive to build the lifeguard headquarters at the north end of Main Beach.