Crime up 21 percent; Redondo Beach Police Department faces recruiting challenges

by Garth MeyerA 21 percent increase in crime in Redondo Beach over the past two years nearly offset a 24 percent decrease between 2016 and 2019, newly appointed Police Chief Joe Hoffman reported at the March 1 city council meeting.Crime rose four percent in 2020, followed by a 17 percent jump last year. “This is a nationwide issue,” Hoffman said, later qualifying the statistics by adding, “The city is incredibly safe, and our arrest rate, and rate that we’re solving crim