Manhattan Beach Mask Wearing Statistics And Citations Issued

MANHATTAN BEACH, CA — In mid-July, the Manhattan Beach City Council approved the issuance of citations to individuals not wearing an appropriate facial covering in the city. The move followed on the heels of Beverly Hills, Santa Monica and West Hollywood doing the same and after Los Angeles County and Governor Gavin Newsom had made mask wearing mandatory, mid-May and mid-June, respectively.

Now, nearly six months since the order took effect, 1,175 citations have been issued as of Dec. 28, according to city officials. Citations cost $100 for the first violation, $200 for the second violation and $350 for any violation thereafter. Said George Gabriel, senior management analyst for the city, "It’s important to note, that the City’s goal is not enforcement but to change behavior in an effort to promote and protect public health. The City regularly warns those not wearing their face covers properly—over the mouth but not nose— and hands out face coverings to the public where possible."

Gabriel said the last citation issued was the week of December of 14-20 and that the city had a 96% compliance rate this past weekend. "The figure is an estimate based on what code enforcement and Police Department staff witness."