Patrol makes up the largest segment of the department, with a full-time authorized staff of 37 uniformed sworn personnel. Together, they provide 24/7 emergency response.

Patrol Officers are the first responders to emergencies.  Officers also respond to routine service calls, which total about 18,000 calls each year. Additionally, officers initiated around 30,000 contacts with the public.

Patrol officers are the first responders to emergencies, immediate and routine service calls, crime-related incidents, and quality of life issues. They conduct preliminary investigations, collect evidence, and arrest offenders. Other responsibilities include recovering lost or stolen property, ensuring the safety and protection of persons and property through proactive and directed patrol, enforcing traffic laws, providing high visibility enforcement during events, rendering aid to the community as needed, and providing the highest level of quality service through problem solving and community-oriented policing.

Special programs currently include K-9 Program, Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Team, Crisis Negotiation Team (CNT), South Bay Platoon, Beach Patrol, Bike Patrol, Crime Scene Investigations (CSI), Field Training Officer Program, and Reserve Officer Program. 

Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Team

Approximately 15 sworn personnel are active members of the MBPD SWAT Team.  SWAT is a collateral duty, performed in addition to an officer's everyday patrol responsibilities.  All SWAT team members are trained to respond to a variety of high risk related incidents.

Twice a month, the SWAT team participates in training and situational exercises to maintain and enhance their tactical skills.  They are also required to maintain a high degree of physical fitness. Twice a year, SWAT team members are required to participate in a physical agility course that tests their endurance, strength, and speed.  They also execute high-risk search warrant operations, participate in regional training exercises, and compete against other SWAT teams in SWAT competitions.

The team is also prepared to quickly respond to an active shooter who may pose a risk to City schools, businesses, and other heavily populated locations.

Crisis Negotiation Team (CNT)

The Crisis Negotiation Team (CNT) is made up of approximately ten sworn and civilian personnel.  CNT is a collateral duty, performed in addition to the employees' everyday responsibilities. 

The CNT team works closely with SWAT to peacefully resolve potentially hazardous situations.  Each team member attends monthly activities to hone their negotiation tactics and study successful negotiation efforts.  The team also participates in quarterly training with the California Association of Hostage Negotiators and coordinates with other South Bay Law Enforcement Agencies.

Crime Scene Investigation (CSI)

All officers are trained to lift fingerprints and recover evidence.  Six patrol officers are appointed to a collateral duty as Crime Scene Investigators. In addition to their day-to-day work activities, CSI Officers can be called out 24/7 to aid officers with photographing and diagramming the scene, lifting fingerprints, and collecting evidence.  CSI Officers receive additional training in the documentation and collection of evidence because thorough analysis of the crime scene provides solid leads for investigators to follow. 

Reserve Officer Program

The Reserve Officer Program is composed of members of our community who dedicate a portion of their time to community service by working as volunteers with our Police Department.  Reserve Officers work alone or with full-time regular officers to provide law enforcement services, and may perform a number of general and specialized law enforcement assignments, including but not limited to uniformed patrol and special events patrol. 

Reserve peace officers are required to meet the same selection standards (e.g. personal history investigation and medical and psychological screening) as full-time regular officers.

The State of California has three levels of reserve peace officers, each requiring a difference amount of training.  The duties of the different levels of reserve officer are:

• Level III Penal Code sections 830.6(a)(1) and 832.6(a)(2):
  Level III reserve officers may perform specified limited support duties, and other duties that are not likely to result in physical arrests, while supervised in the accessible vicinity by a Level I reserve officer or a full-time regular officer. Additionally, Level III reserve officers may transport prisoners without immediate supervision.
• Level II Penal Code sections 830.6(a)(1) and 832.6(a)(2):
  Level II reserve officers may perform general law enforcement assignments while under the immediate supervision of a peace officer who has completed the Regular Basic Course. These officers may also work assignments authorized for Level III reserve officers without immediate supervision.
• Level I Penal Code sections 830.6(a)(1) and 832.6(a)(1):
  Level I reserve officers may work alone and perform the same duties as full-time regular officers.

For more information about the levels of Reserve Police Officers, visit the Peace Officer Standards and Training website.  To apply to become a Reserve Police Officer, fill out a City application,

K9 Unit

The Manhattan Beach Police Department established a Police K-9 program in the early1980’s.

Our K-9 teams are an important part of the Police Department. Through rigorous training, our K-9 teams deliver professional law enforcement services and maintain a standard of excellence in all aspects of their service to our community.

The canine nose has close to twenty times as many primary receptor cells as the human nose. The K9s are trained to use their nose to sort out different complex odors as they conduct a search or locate a concealed suspect.

Under the guidance of their handlers, K-9s assist with a variety of police activities including suspect searches, finding missing persons, locating illegal drugs and drug paraphernalia, and detecting explosives.

Together, they have provided K-9 services to our community, as well as provided mutual aid to other South Bay agencies. They also participate in community educational programs, including K-9 demonstrations, elementary school presentations, Explorer Program presentations, and Neighborhood Watch presentations. When not at work, the live at home with their handlers.

Through rigorous training, our K-9 teams deliver professional law enforcement services and maintain a standard of excellence in all aspects of their service to our community.

Both dog and handler attend a 5-week basic training course which helps them to form a strong bond. Obedience to and protection of the handler are paramount to successful completion of the training. After completing the course, the dog and handler become certified by Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) as a Police Patrol K-9 Team.

From this point on, training becomes a part of the K-9 teams’ daily activities. The teams attend monthly training where both handler and dog participate in POST certified courses to keep them up-to-date.