Manhattan Beach Police Rework Public Communication Policies

MANHATTAN BEACH, CA — The Manhattan Beach Police Department is evaluating its public communication policies after recent crimes were not properly communicated with the public, department officials said.

In mid-June, police responded to two armed robberies in the area of the Manhattan Beach Pier in the late night and early morning of June 16 and 17, MBPD said in a statement. The victims of the robberies were unharmed and police said they are actively investigating the crimes.

Typically, when crimes pose a threat to public safety authorities send warnings through the Alert South Bay system as well as Instagram and Facebook. With the June robberies, such communication did not occur.

“We did not communicate these two incidents properly, which is not acceptable,” said Police Chief Rachel Johnson. “The responsibility for communication begins and ends with me and I take full responsibility for our lapse. I am grateful that the guns were not used and that the victims escaped physical harm that evening.”

In response to the lack of communication, officials at City Hall and MBPD took action to enhance public outreach. Mayor Richard Montgomery held a meeting with Chief Johnson to develop a revised plan to improve information dissemination to the public when crimes and relevant incidents occurred in the city.

On June 27, Mayor Montgomery spoke with community members to gather feedback and suggestions about how to proceed. Together with the City Council and the City Manager, officials addressed measures aimed at preventing similar problems in the future.

“Any lapse in communication is unacceptable, especially in matters of public safety. As Mayor, I am embarrassed and disappointed by this communication lapse,” said Mayor Richard Montgomery. Continuing his remarks, Mayor Montgomery added “I, along with the City Manager, take responsibility for the communication failures in this incident, and we are determined to improve our procedures to deliver better outcomes in the future, ensuring that MBPD remains the top police department in the South Bay.”

Community members with general concerns or questions were advised to contact Community Affairs Sergeant Andre Abreu at abreu@manhattanbeach.gov.

Going forward, Johnson said additional efforts will be made to maintain transparency in the police department and to properly communicate with members of the community.

“MBPD takes pride in being a transparent department that respects the importance of sharing as much information with Manhattan Beach residents as possible. We have learned from these incidents and will make sure our practices improve, beginning today,” said Chief Johnson.