Redondo Beach Police Department

If the Redondo Beach Police Department has arrested or is investigating you, a family member or a loved one, it is good to know the bail amount (if any) associated with the offense (if an own recognizance (OR) release is denied), the evidence needed to convict one for the crime that allegedly took place, the defenses possible and the sentence a judge can impose if one is convicted of the crime. 

We at Greg Hill & Associates believe it is also wise to know a few more things before interacting with any branch of law enforcement.  It can be valuable, to know the size of the police or sheriff’s department, the city’s demographics, the most common types of crime the department investigates and just a bit about the city’s history to make one’s communication with law enforcement more meaningful, more savvy and perhaps, more respectful.  This can lead to a better outcome than if one lacks such perspective.

This article is presented with this goal in mind.

The Redondo Beach Police Department has 90 sworn police officers, 57 support personnel and volunteers working to police Redondo Beach, a city of 71,576 according to the 2020 census.  The city is the largest of the “Beach Cities (Manhattan Beach, Redondo Beach and Hermosa Beach) in population and size (6.21 square miles).

The 2020 census found that greater than 50% of Redondo Beach’s residents are white, nearly double the rate of the greater Los Angeles area.

 
Redondo Beach, like its neighboring beach towns, has become one of the most exclusionary cities in Los Angeles by limiting housing production, resulting in a median home costing $1.4 million (as of 2022), 60% higher than the regional average for Los Angeles.

According to the 2010 United States Census, Redondo Beach had a median household income of $99,496, with 5.4% of the population living below the federal poverty line.

The largest employer of Redondo Beach residents, by far at approximately 6,045 employees, is Northrup Gruman, followed by the Redondo Beach Unified School District at 868 according to the city's 2020 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report.

The primary attractions include the Redondo Beach Pier and the nearby sandy beach, popular with tourists and a variety of sports enthusiasts.

Our office has handled perhaps 200 criminal cases arising in Redondo Beach, mostly DUI’s, domestic violence, shoplifting, public intoxication and vandalism, although we have also handled some “heavier cases” involved armed robbery, sex offenses and attempted murder arising in Redondo Beach.

Most misdemeanor criminal cases arising in Redondo Beach are handled by the Redondo Beach City Prosecutors Office.  Felonies are handled by the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.  Most cases are filed at the Torance Superior Court, but very serious cases can be filed at the Clara Shortridge Foltz criminal courts building (CCB) in downtown Los Angeles.

The northeast section of Redondo Beach, near the Redondo Beach Galleria shopping mall, experiences more serious crime than the southwest sections of the city.

North Side Redondo (NSR), or Redondo 13, is one gang that has called Redondo Beach home for over 40 years.  As suggested by its use of the number “13,” it is a Sureño gang associated with the Mexican Mafia.  It used to use Perry Park, off Grant Avenue, as its informal headquarters for coordinated drug and weapons sales, intimidation, and other crimes.  Many of its members used to live close to Perry Park.  The park was marked by gang graffiti for many years. 

While primarily a Hispanic gang, the gang also includes Caucasians, African Americans, and from time-to-time, Asians.  NSR has a total membership of approximately 180 gangsters though at any given time the active membership is closer to 40.  The gang claims the entire city of Redondo Beach as its turf and has resorted to violence to answer perceived transgressions. Members range in age from 14 years old to well into the 40’s with the average age being 24.

In 1993, NSR engaged in a “war” with a rival gang that resulted in three homicides and 11 other shooting incidents.  The war ended with the simultaneous service of sixteen search warrants at NSR member homes combined with the arrests and convictions of several key members.

For more information about being arrested and possibly facing a criminal case, please click on the following articles: