Dennis Harvey is a lifetime resident of Evanston. He graduated from Evanston High School in 1966. From 1966 - 1970, Dennis served in the United States Air Force and was stationed at the Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.

After returning to Evanston, Dennis began working as a police officer for the Evanston Police Department in 1971. He worked his way up from an officer to Chief of Police in 1977 to July of 2003. He was then appointed as the City of Evanston Emergency Management and Homeland Security Coordinator and served in that capacity until January of 2005.

Dennis now works for Williams Energy Services and serves as one of Evanston's Ward I Council Members.