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Hermosa Beach wins federal funding for HB Cares and Real‑Time Crime Center; Congressman Lieu honored
Summary
Congressman Ted Lieu presented two federal awards to Hermosa Beach that will fund a mobile mental-health response (HB Cares) and a police real‑time crime center. City officials and the police chief described services and technology funded by the grants.
Hermosa Beach officials on April 22 accepted two federal grants that the city says will fund HB Cares, a civilian mobile crisis response program, and a Real‑Time Crime Center for the police department.
Congressman Ted Lieu visited the council chambers to present the awards and was recognized by the council and city staff for securing the funds. Lieu said the two grants total about $4,963,000: approximately $4,000,000 for HB Cares and $963,000 for the Real‑Time Crime Center.
Why it matters: The grants fund two operational programs the city and police chief say will change how the city responds to mental‑health crises and how patrol officers receive investigative support. Officials described the investments as enabling both diversion from law‑enforcement responses and faster, more targeted police investigations.
HB Cares: a two‑person civilian response City Manager Suja Lowenthal told the audience the HB Cares program, launched in 2024, provides an evidence‑based alternative response for mental‑health and behavior‑related calls within Hermosa Beach’s 1.4 square miles. The program pairs a clinically trained clinician with a licensed EMT or peer supporter in a two‑person mobile response team.
Lowenthal said the team provides de‑escalation, crisis stabilization, referral to mental‑health treatment, and follow‑up support and wellness checks for unhoused residents. She thanked the HB Cares team members who attended the meeting by name.
Real‑Time Crime Center: what it will do Police Chief Paula LeBaron described the planned Real‑Time Crime Center as a “21st‑century model” for policing that will connect city and partner cameras, automated license‑plate readers the city owns, and other law‑enforcement data into decentralized workstations accessible to officers in the field. Chief LeBaron said the center will provide real‑time leads, speed investigations, and reduce misdirected stops by helping officers “know who we’re looking for” during incidents.
LeBaron also said the center is intended to promote regional information sharing with neighboring agencies and to support accountability by documenting evidence that can be used in court.
Federal funding and recognition Congressman Ted Lieu said his office selects and champions funding for projects that can be executed and sustained; he described Hermosa Beach as having the staff and leadership to deliver the grants. Lieu presented two award checks in the council chambers and praised the city’s execution capacity.
What to watch: City staff will publish project schedules and program details, including how cameras and license‑plate readers will be deployed and how privacy and civil‑liberties safeguards will be managed.
