Public Information Officer for the HB Police Department, Jennifer Carey, earned the 2021 Mayor’s Excellence Award for her exemplary work in communicating to the public and the media regarding HB police activities and public safety issues. The Mayor’s Excellence Award is given to employees who exemplify the qualities of Humility, Social Awareness, Passion, Exceptionality, Team Orientation, and Integrity.
Jennifer joined the HB Police Department in May 2021 and was immediately tested due to “Adrian’s Kickback,” a viral open party invitation on TikTok that was viewed by 250 million people worldwide, resulting in thousands of people unlawfully assembling in Huntington Beach and over 150 arrests. In the midst of the chaos, Jennifer communicated accurate and timely information both internally and across various channels to ensure that residents and the media were kept well-informed.
In October, the City experienced another crisis when an oil pipeline leak resulted in oil washing up across the HB coastline, disrupting wildlife and posing health hazards to the community. Jennifer received hundreds of media requests, along with calls from other cities who looked to her for guidance and direction in handling communications for the incident. Understanding that transparency and accuracy are essential in a crisis communications situation, Jennifer swung into action and took the lead in providing information through a variety of media platforms and collaborating with other cities and the media to keep the public informed every step of the way.
In her short few months as PIO, Jennifer Carey has worked tirelessly to communicate information to the public in a clear and concise manner. Her unwavering dedication to keeping citizens in the community informed embodies the qualities of the Mayor’s Excellence Award.
