Professional Standards Unit

The Professional Standards Unit plays several critical roles within the overall department mission. Lieutenant Chris Harvey oversees all department recruiting and hiring, is the department's primary public information officer, oversees department training, and also handles any internal investigations.

Recruitment and Hiring
The Brea Police Department is committed to recruiting outstanding police employees. The hiring process for police employees, especially police officers, is complex and very lengthy. Professional Standards must work closely with all those involved in this process, which includes field training staff, background investigators, polygraph examiners, psychologists, doctors, and our own Human Resources Department.

Public Information Officer
We are committed to work closely with the media and we are sensitive to the public's need for information. We strive to be timely and accurate with information while respecting the needs or restrictions of investigations. We also respect and recognize the tremendous resource the media can be in solving crime.

Department Training
Nearly every member of the police department attends training specific to their position. While some of these classes are optional, much of the training is state mandated. During 2021, members of the Brea Police Department completed 10,210 hours of training. 

Internal Investigations
Internal Investigations can be complex and there are numerous state mandates that must be followed during the investigation. Conducting a thorough investigation in these circumstances is of critical importance within our organization. The Brea Police Department is fortunate to have a very low number of complaints considering that the members of the department make tens of thousands of contacts each year.

Citizen Feedback

We welcome constructive feedback on the performance of our employees. If you have had a positive interaction with a member of our police department, please contact Lieutenant Chris Harvey at 714-990-7744 or email. If you are interested in filing a complaint regarding the conduct of a police department employee, please use our Citizen Complaint Form, which can be downloaded here or is available at our front counter. Please note that every Citizen Complaint is taken seriously and is investigated as thoroughly as possible.