Laguna Beach Police Department

If a loved one, a family member or you have been arrested by or are being investigated by the  Laguna Beach Police Department, it can cause a lot of apprehension, mostly just from fear of the unknown.  Moreover, one is dependent upon the honesty and competence of a police officer, who may or may not be experienced or have the same sense of urgency as you. 

Facing such a situation, one’s anxiety may be reduced by knowing the bail amount (if any) associated with the offense or offenses at issue if police deny an own recognizance (OR) release.  It is also helpful to know what evidence is needed to convict one for the crime or crimes that allegedly took place, the defenses possible and the sentence a judge can impose if one is convicted of the crime or crimes.  
We at Greg Hill & Associates believe it is helpful to know a few more things before interacting with any branch of law enforcement.  It can be good to know the size of the police or sheriff’s department, the area’s demographics, the most common types of crimes the department investigates and just a bit about the area’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 these goals in mind.

The   Laguna Beach Police Department is smaller force, with just fifty-two sworn police officers and forty-four civilian support personnel assigned to it.  There are also approximately 10 Police Explorers, 15 Citizen's on Patrol Volunteers, 40 Animal Shelter Volunteers and over three hundred Community Response Team Volunteers to support its operations.

The Laguna Beach Police Department is responsible for patrolling the City of Laguna Beach, which is 9.86 square miles and has a population of 23,032 as of the 2020 census.

Along the highways that cross the city, the California Highway Patrol, not the Laguna Beach Police Department, handles the arrests.  The arrested person, however, may then be taken to the Laguna Beach Police Station for booking and holding.

As of 2010, the city’s population was 79.58% non-Hispanic white, 4.17% Asian, 0.79% African American and 9.36% Hispanic.  During 2009–2013, Laguna Beach had a median household income of $94,325, with 6.3% of the population living below the federal poverty line.

It is interesting to note from a historical context that the majority of Laguna Beach was one of the few parcels of coastal land in Southern California that never was included in any Mexican land grant.

Decades later, due to its proximity to Hollywood, Laguna Beach became a favorite filming location.  Starting in 1913, dozens of silent films were made at local coves with Harold Lloyd, Mary Pickford, Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., and others.  Actors and film crews stayed during long production shoots at the Arch Beach Tavern on the hillside above Moss Street.

In October 1993, a fire in Laguna Beach destroyed or damaged 441 homes and burned more than 14,000 acres. The National Fire Protection Association listed it as the seventh-largest loss wildland fire in the United States. 

The city was deemed a smoke-free place by Laguna Beach Council on May 23, 2017.  Ordinance 1624 was imposed by the Beach Council to prohibit smoking in all public places in the city.

Most cases arising out of the Laguna Beach Police Department’s areas of responsibility are brought at the Newport Beach Courthouse, but some are also brought at the Central Justice Center at 700 Civic Center Driver West in downtown Santa Ana.  Cases that may be filed at the Central Justice Center instead of at the Newport Courthouse would be very serious cases needing specialized prosecutors trained in handling such cases.

Over the last 25 years, our office has handled perhaps twenty cases arising out of Laguna Beach Police Station and brought in the Newport Beach Courthouse.  Such cases vary from DUI to domestic violence, to public intoxication, to shoplifting.

Below is the Google Map to the Laguna Beach Police Department.