Heightened fines and one hundred additional officers will be part of the Hermosa Beach Police Department’s enhanced presence next Tuesday for the 4th of July.
All department officers, as well as those on loan from neighboring agencies like the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, will be patrolling the beach and surrounding areas, checking for loud parties and other potential violations of the municipal code.As in the past, the penalty for violating of certain code sections, such as being a minor in possession of alcohol or public intoxication, will temporarily be considered misdemeanors rather than infractions, and the associated fines will be increased.
Several new ordinances will also be in force for the first time this 4th of July, including the city-wide ban on smoking. Also in play is the city’s Social Host Ordinance, in which the owner of a home may be held liable for permitting a party where underage drinking takes place. The penalty for the first offense is $2,500, and doubles with each subsequent violation.
After several years in which the large influx of people led to raucous parties and fights in and around Pier Plaza, recent years have seen declining call volume and numbers of arrests, statistics that the department credits to the enhanced police presence.
