Manhattan Beach Police Officers Now On Foot Patrol In Downtown

MANHATTAN BEACH, CA — The City of Manhattan Beach has added two new foot patrol police officers to downtown Manhattan Beach after a public outcry to do so. The Downtown Manhattan Beach Business and Professionals Association and the Manhattan Beach Chamber of Commerce advocated for the additional foot patrols after recent incidents in the downtown area.

On Tuesday night at its regularly scheduled City Council meeting, city council addressed the issue and Mayor Richard Montgomery expressed his support for adding foot patrols. Manhattan Beach Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Kelly Stroman had sent the council an impassioned, instructive letter stating why there was a need for adding foot patrols. Montgomery did not hesitate in supporting the foot patrol officers and he and council instructed City Manager Bruce Moe to make it happen as soon as possible.

The result is that today, Friday, August 21, is the first day two foot patrol Manhattan Beach Police officers will be in downtown Manhattan Beach from 4-10 p.m. Reports of public urination in restaurant interiors [not the restrooms], intimidation and harassment from cars of people cruising downtown streets and hurling epithets and other unsavory comments at diners on outside streetside dining decks, loud stereos blasting from cars to create a less-than-desirable dining experience, and plastic cups of cold water being thrown at diners in the past two weeks prompted business owners, the downtown association [which represents downtown businesses], and the chamber of commerce to inform council of the situation and to ask for reinforcements.