Beck was appointed to the Los Angeles Police Department in March 1977 after serving two years with the Los Angeles Police Reserve Corps. As a patrol officer, his assignments included both the Rampart and Hollywood divisions. After promotion to sergeant in June 1984, Beck worked in the department's controversial C.R.A.S.H. program under then-chief, Daryl Gates, in the 1980s and early 1990s. Beck worked in the department's Internal Affairs division as a sergeant and a lieutenant. He was promoted to lieutenant in April 1993, to captain in July 1999, and then commander in April 2005. In August 2006, he achieved the rank of deputy chief, the same rank that his father, a retired Los Angeles police officer, had attained. Upon that promotion, he assumed command of Operations-South Bureau. Beck went on to become chief of detectives, and implemented a number changes to the Detective Bureau, particularly in the use of technology. Beck was appointed chief of police in November 2009. According to the Los Angeles Times, Beck was paid a salary of $297,000 in 2011. During the 2013 manhunt of Christipher Dorner, eight police officers, under the direction of Beck, fired 100 or more rounds at two innocent civilians who were delivering newspapers at the time and driving 5 mph an hour. Even though all eight were found to violate department policy and faced suspension or firing, they received neither, but only additional training per Beck's recommendation and a return to duty. The two innocent civilians were awarded 4.2 million dollars from the LAPD. Multiple car loads of innocent people were fired upon and injured by officers under Beck's orders during the Dorner manhunt. On January 19, 2018, Beck announced his retirement later that year. On June 4, 2018, Mayor Garcetti announced that Michel Moore would succeed him on June 27. On November 8, Chicago's mayor, Lori Lightfoot, appointed retired LAPD chief Charlie Beck as the city's interim superintendent, to commence upon the retirement of incumbent Eddie Johnson, at the end of 2019. Chicago will conduct a nationwide search for the permanent Superintendent. Beck declined a permanent position, and agreed to hold the Office for a few months. On April 2, 2020, Beck was replaced by former Dallas Police Department Chief David Brown as Superintendent.
Personal life
Beck is known to be an avid motocross enthusiast, winning several awards in the sport, and is the current Police and Fire Motocross national champion. His sister, Megan, was a detective. His wife, Cindy, was a narcotics dog handler. Two of his children, Brandi and Martin, are LAPD officers. His daughter Megan is a custody assistant for LASD. In 2016, Beck made a cameo appearance on Real Housewives of Beverly Hills when he ran into Erika Jayne and her husband Thomas Girardi while having lunch.
