Public Safety
When I moved to Manhattan Beach over 30 years ago, public safety was taken for granted. We felt safe in our bubble and left our doors unlocked and our bikes in the front yard, and many of us had nothing more than surfboards to steal anyway. But times have changed. Manhattan Beach represents more wealth than in the past, both in our homes and in our stores, making us attractive targets for crime. The 105 Freeway made us more accessible, and over time we have become more connected to broader Los Angeles, with its crime, drugs and homelessness issues.
This underscores the importance of investing in public safety, and we are in a good place with strong leadership in both our Police and Fire Departments. In fact, according to Police Chief Rachel Johnson, we have reduced annual crime by 20% from June 2023. Police Chief Johnson oversees 65 officers and 43 professional staff employees. MBPD added seven officers in 2023 and is planning to hire five more officers and two sergeants plus launch a bike patrol within the next year. Fire Chief Mike Lang oversees 31 Firefighters and professional staff. He plans to hire six new firefighter paramedics in the near future, further strengthening our team.
Homelessness is an issue that could become more prominent over the next few years as we begin to see more homeless people closer to Manhattan Beach. There are more campsites in Dockweiler / Playa del Rey, and more homeless people on Pier Avenue in Hermosa. Manhattan Beach should continue to enforce our “no camping” ordinance to prohibit RV and tent encampments. We should also approach homelessness with empathy: the mental health and opioid crises have created a perfect storm that has affected the lives of many. In addition, a surprisingly high number of people are just one crisis such as health or job loss away from losing their homes. Fortunately, we have a strong internal team that continues to work with state and local organizations to offer the homeless people in our community more dignified options than living on the streets. Prop 1, a $9 billion bill that passed recently, should also help to increase these options.
eBike safety is another important public safety issue and local government should continue to coordinate with our first responders to ensure the safety of our kids. Our city should also increase eBike parking to keep them off our sidewalks.