Irvine, CA (December 2, 2015): New Irvine Police Department (IPD) Deputy Chief Julia Engen was sworn in today. Deputy Chief Engen is a 23-year law enforcement veteran who has been with IPD since 1994. She is the first woman to rise to the rank of deputy chief at IPD and is the highest-ranking female in the Department’s history.
Deputy Chief Engen began her career with the Orange County Sheriff’s Department and joined IPD in 1994. In addition to working as a patrol officer, she was a member of the Department’s first formal recruiting team, first High-Risk Youth Intervention Team, first Police/Private Security Partnership group, and was the first school resource officer assigned to the City’s continuation high school.
In 2003, she was promoted to the rank of sergeant and served supervisory assignments including operations, CSI, training and recruitment, K9s, investigations, dispatch, administration, youth services, traffic and operations support, animal services, and custody. In 2010, she was promoted to the rank of lieutenant and spent four years as the Department’s Spokesperson and Public and Press Information Officer. In 2014, she was promoted to the rank of Commander and assumed responsibly for delivery of police services to the 21-square-mile Crossroads area of the City. She also managed the Crime Prevention Unit, Private Security Partnership, and preventative and victim-centered programs including the Citizen and Senior Police Academy, Victim Services Program, Volunteers, College Intern Program, Employee Recognition Program and Annual Awards Banquet.
Deputy Chief Engen has held many community leadership positions, including as a current Advisory Board Member of the Orange County Trauma Intervention Program and Chair of the California Chiefs of Police Women Leaders in Law Enforcement Southern California Region. She previously served as a member of the Irvine Unified School District School Attendance Review Board, as the IPD representative for the Irvine Coalition for Drug Prevention, and as a panel member of the Project Success High Risk Youth Intervention Team.
Deputy Chief Engen has received awards, commendations, and honors for her service including Senator Lou Correa’s “Women Making a Difference” award, the Outstanding Supporter of Prevention Award from Irvine Community Drug Prevention, and Graduate with Department Honors from California State University, Long Beach and the University of La Verne. She has received numerous recognitions from IPD including as recipient of the Unit Award in the Office of Professional Development, twice as Employee of the Quarter, and three times with the Meritorious Service Award.
Deputy Chief Engen holds a Master of Arts in Public Administration from California State University, Long Beach, and a Bachelor of Arts in Public Administration from the University of La Verne. She is also a graduate of the Senior Management Institute for Police - Police Executive Research Forum and the Sherman Block Supervisory Leadership Institute - Commission on Peace Officers Standards and Training.