Manhattan Beach Police cite crime reductions and detail drone-as-first-responder pilot

Chief of Police Rachel Johnson told attendees that the Manhattan Beach Police Department has seen sustained reductions in crime and is preparing new tools to respond faster. "We had a 13 and a half% reduction in 2024... In 2025, we had a 6% reduction," she said, and gave category details including burglaries down 28.9% and auto thefts down about 19%.

Johnson described recent investigations that led to multiple arrests—a string of Lego thefts from Barnes & Noble, a serial vandal tied to more than 45 crimes, and recovery of a stolen bicycle—crediting detective work and community reporting for case resolutions.

She outlined the newly approved drone-as-first-responder program (contract with AerDrone) that places a drone pilot in the station to launch drones in response to 911 calls or requests for patrols. Citing a department demonstration, she said pilots responded to roughly 14 calls in a 10-hour demonstration day, with an average arrival time of about "2 minutes and 17 seconds," and that drones were first on scene about "93% of the time." Johnson said drones will provide situational awareness, aid searches and rescues, help monitor traffic inconveniences and assist de-escalation; FAA rules and department privacy policies will govern flights and the city will provide a transparency portal showing flight routes.

The chief emphasized the department’s aim that residents not "notice anything" when policing is working well and reiterated that the drone program is intended to be a public safety tool with training, privacy rules and FAA-certified operators.