Newsletter
March News in Newport
Doubling-Down on Preventative Measures to Address Unsafe Behavior During Spring Break and Summer Holiday Weekends
March 1, 2026
Safety Enhancement Zone
Last year, the City Council expanded the Safety Enhancement Zone (triple fines for violations of our Municipal Code) from one day a year on the Peninsula, to all three summer holiday weekends, in both beach areas in the city. Last month, we adopted amendments to apply the Safety Enhancement Zone to spring break periods, as well. We also enacted a one-strike revocation rule for Short-Term Lodging permit holders whose tenants are found to be in violation of certain Municipal Code sections, posing a threat to public safety.
These measures are intended to address the increasing demonstration of unruly behavior and disregard for law and order. As always, we welcome tourism and support individual and property rights, while prioritizing public safety for residents and visitors.
Police & Fire Station Rebuilding
The Council has begun discussions about the rebuilding of our police headquarters and fire station 3, both of which have surpassed their useful life. There are a number of considerations to be examined, including the operational needs of the departments, continuity during construction, and responsible use of city resources and taxpayer dollars.
We invite residents to share input at our police station study session, on March 10th at 4:00pm – one of many public conversations that will be held on this topic.
Meet Georgia Rios, our New Public Information Manager
I am excited to welcome Georgia Rios, our new Public Information Manager, who brings fresh eyes and lots of ideas on how we can increase our engagement with the community and reach people wherever they get their information. She left her position with the City of Santa Clarita, her childhood home, to step into her dream job with Newport Beach.
Balboa Fire Station & Library
Safety Spotlight: Officer Bernadette Sanchez, NBPD
Officer Bernadette Sanchez is not built for a desk job. She cares deeply about people, but also understands that “compassion without structure doesn’t protect anyone.”
She lateraled to NBPD in October of 2021, after serving eight years with the Albuquerque Police Department. While there, she served in several specialized assignments, including Gang Suppression, the Emergency Response Team, and Narcotics.
Here in Newport, Sanchez is currently assigned to Patrol as a Field Training Officer, and serves as a K9 Agitator, Firearms Instructor, member of the Department Recruiting Team and has already earned the Life Saving Award. After policing in a large metropolitan city, she was surprised by how many people wave, smile, or stop to say hello during shift- community engagement (and the ocean views!) making a tough job a little easier. In her off-time, she blows off steam getting outside with her two bulldogs, MooMoo and Sullivan.
Safety Spotlight: Fire Captain Adam Davenport, NBFD
Fire Captain Adam Davenport has worked for NBFD for 20 years. His career was inspired by an incident, when he was in high school, that led to fire department response. He recalls how the firefighters made a bad situation better and checked on him for months afterward, leaving him wanting to make a difference in people’s lives too.
At work, he enjoys being put into dynamic situations and working with the great men and women of the Department. Outside work, he spends time with family, travels, plays golf, snowboards, and works on construction projects around the house. He shares how blessed he feels to work in Newport Beach.
