Manhattan Beach Police Department, California • Line of Duty Death: October 4, 2023

Motor Police Officer Chad Swanson of the Manhattan Beach Police Department in California was killed in a crash on October 4, 2023.  While riding his department-issued motorcycle to work, Officer Swanson was involved in a multi-vehicle crash on the highway that was caused by boxes falling from a truck that were not properly secured. A vehicle struck his motorcycle, causing him to be thrown off.  He succumbed to his injuries at the hospital.  He was 35 years old and had served his department for 13 years.

Swanson was born and raised in Southgate, California and graduated from St. John Bosco High School in 2006.  He had an older brother and they were very close to another family that had 2 sons, the Johnson family.  His grandfather was a Motor Officer with the LAPD and influenced him to pursue a career in law enforcement.

Swanson went on a blind date with his future wife, Hailey.  They enjoyed a night of dancing and laughing, and the rest is history.  They went on to marry and had three sons:  Jameson, Declan and Easton.  His wife said he was everything a man should be:  fearless, strong, proud and an incredible husband, father and person.

Swanson was considered a hero, having received a Medal of Valor award after helping save a burglar who had cut himself while punching through the window of a business.  He, again, was a hero when he attended the Route 91 Harvest County Music Festival in Las Vegas in 2017.  A mass shooting took place and he saved several lives, administering first aid and carrying people to safety, despite getting hit in the arm by a bullet fragment.  He showed extraordinary courage, risking his own life to help others.  Swanson served the Hawthorne Police Department and then the Manhattan Beach Police Department since 2010, joining the motor division in 2017.  He leaves a legacy of hard work, dedication and the pursuit of personal growth.

Police Officer Chad Swanson is survived by his loving wife, Hailey, their three sons, Jameson, Declan and Easton, his parents and many other cherished family members and friends.

The Tunnel to Towers Foundation has paid off the mortgage of the Swanson family home through the Fallen First Responder Home Program.