The Manhattan Beach City Council has nixed the idea of hiring armed security downtown, but remains open to the idea of contracting with other law enforcement departments for extra assistance during busy times until Manhattan Beach has more trained police on the ground.
The City Council decision on Tuesday night began with a proposal by Councilmember Suzanne Hadley to investigate the possibility of hiring armed security for the popular downtown Manhattan Beach area.
Many businesses and residents have been on edge since the bold
Pasha robbery over the summer.
"If we had had armed security, would we still have had a Pasha [robbery]?," asked Hadley. "How do we avoid another Pasha?"
MBPD Police Chief Rachel Johnson gave a presentation on armed security services that Beverly Hills had used. The recommended deployment for Manhattan Beach would be for one supervisor and four security officers, seven days per week, 8 hours per day, in roving teams of two, at a cost of $80,000 per month or $960,000 per year. Additional evening or weekend coverage would cost an additional $14,000 per month, or $170,000 per year.
However, when pressed, Johnson said that she believed it was "very nuanced" as to whether armed security would have the effect that the city might want. "It’s really in the mind of the criminal if that’s a deterrent to them," she said.
Johnson added that Manhattan Beach's downtown area is very tight and very close, and police officers arrived at the site of the Pasha robbery within 30 seconds of the call. She said that her concern was that if armed security had been on the streets, "there might have been a gun battle downtown" on that busy summer night. "That's what gives me pause," she said.
When asked whether she would rather hire armed security or hire five "overhires" (police in training who would be ready to hit the beat several months from now), Johnson said that she would prefer the overhires.
Other councilmembers appeared to agree with Johnson. "Banks have armed security guards, and they still have armed robberies," said Mayor Pro Tem Richard Montgomery, adding that armed security guards are not police and thus don't have the ability to make an arrest. "There’s a false sense of security with [an armed security guard] who has to call the police and then delay it even further," he said.
Mayor Steve Napolitano added because of the armed security guards' inability to arrest a suspect, there was essentially little difference between armed security and the CSC personnel whom the city has brought on for additional oversight during big events.
"Frankly between 'Paul Blart' and more police, I'm going to hire more police every time," Napolitano said.
Councilmembers then agreed to change the motion to investigate the possibility of contracting with the sheriff's department and other agencies on a short-term basis, possibly during the holiday season or other busy times.
The vote was 4-1 in favor, with Montgomery as the lone "no" vote.
When asked for further comment, Montgomery said, "Let our chief do her job as a professional and dedicate [herself to] growing Police Department staff as needed. Any outside agency will not know our city geographically or what we value here."
CSC Serves at Special Events, Busy Times
Manhattan Beach contracts with CSC (Contemporary Services Corporation) to provide security "ambassadors" who help manage special events or times that draw large crowds.
CSC personnel assist with traffic control, crowd control, and parking; and have direct communication with MBPD. They can act as a "visual deterrent for inappropriate behavior," according to Johnson.
CSC personnel provided approximately 12,500 hours of service to Manhattan Beach from July 1, 2022 to October 6, 2022, Johnson reported.
That included 7,000 service hours for special events such as the AVP, Six-Man Volleyball Tournament, Tour de Pier, and Concerts in the Park. It also included 5,500 service hours for traffic control and parking management at Bruce's Beach, El Porto, and the Manhattan Beach Pier lots.
