Roll of Honor
Incident
Police Officer Chad Swanson was killed in a motorcycle crash on the 405 Highway at Del Amo Avenue.
While on his way to work at 5:15 a.m., a vehicle struck his department motorcycle after another vehicle made an unsafe lane change. The impact threw Officer Swanson off his motorcycle. He was transported to Harbor Medical Center where he died from his injuries.
The driver who struck him had changed lanes to avoid debris on the roadway. The driver whose boxes fell on the highway was charged with misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter without gross negligence for improperly securing the boxes in his truck.
Officer Swanson earned a Medal of Valor for saving the life of a burglary suspect in 2015. In 2017, despite being wounded at the Route 91 Harvest Country Music Festival, Officer Swanson repeatedly ran into the crowd, bringing people to safety.
Officer Swanson had served with the Manhattan Beach Police Department for 13 years and previously served with the Hawthorne Police Department.
Survivors
He is survived by his wife, three sons, and parents.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-CA-66EC955B- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- April 2, 2026
- Last updated
- July 23, 2026
Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.
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Tributes
I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Police Officer Swanson gave the Manhattan Beach Police Department 13 years.
Thank you for your service to the Manhattan Beach community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Swanson.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Police Officer Chad Swanson is one of 10,088 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 31% of all 32,508 officers honored here.
In CA, 719 of 1,837 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 39.1% of this state's fallen. That is 8.1 percentage points above the national rate of 31%.
At Manhattan Beach Police Department, 2 of 4 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 50% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Chad Swanson's cause is highlighted.
How Chad Swanson Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Chad Swanson is highlighted in Oct.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
3 officers from Manhattan Beach Police Department are honored on badge.nw.
