Riviera Beach Tackles Crime, Attracts Luxury Development

Police Chief Michael Coleman's efforts to build trust and use technology have helped lower crime rates, paving the way for a building boom.

Mar. 31, 2026 at 9:03am

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An extreme close-up photograph of a security camera lens reflecting a bright light, creating a stark, gritty, investigative aesthetic without depicting any actual violence or crime scenes.Riviera Beach's investment in surveillance cameras and drones has been a key part of the city's strategy to lower crime rates and attract new development.Riviera Beach Today

Despite high-profile crimes, Riviera Beach has seen a sharp decline in violent and property crimes under the leadership of Police Chief Michael Coleman. Coleman has focused on building relationships with the business community and residents, while also leveraging technology like drones and surveillance cameras to fight crime. This has helped change the city's reputation, allowing it to attract luxury development projects like the massive marina redevelopment.

Why it matters

Riviera Beach's ability to address its crime problem is crucial for the city's future growth and development. By lowering crime rates, the city is shedding its reputation as a high-crime area, making it more attractive for developers to invest in luxury projects that will bring new amenities and economic opportunities to the community.

The details

Under Chief Coleman's leadership over the past three years, Riviera Beach has seen a 26% drop in violent crime and a 26% decrease in property crime since 2024. Coleman has taken a multi-pronged approach, focusing on building trust with the business community and residents through weekly meetings and community engagement, while also leveraging technology like drones and 430 surveillance cameras to aid law enforcement. The department has also partnered closely with other law enforcement agencies to solve crimes. Despite the progress, Riviera Beach still has a higher crime rate than similar-sized cities in the area, which experts attribute to the city's higher poverty levels.

  • In 2025, Riviera Beach saw a 26% drop in violent crime and a 14% increase in property crime compared to 2021.
  • Since 2024, Riviera Beach has seen a 13% decrease in violent crime and a 26% drop in property crime.

The players

Michael Coleman

The police chief of Riviera Beach, a combat veteran who has worked to rebuild trust with the community and leverage technology to fight crime.

Nathan Gordon

The assistant police chief who heads up Riviera Beach's Clean and Safe Initiative, which has involved officers painting 83 houses for seniors over the past three years.

Peter Baytarian

The founder and managing partner of Forest Development, one of the teams vying for Riviera Beach's massive marina redevelopment project.

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What they’re saying

“I would say, 'Don't contemplate.' This is a place that's on the rise. We have done a lot of great things over the past few years with the development, with the work that we do in the community. It's in the forefront of development. Under the leadership we have in the police department and all departments, we're at a peak right now. We're starting to bloom in the city. Riviera Beach will be a place that's going to rival any other place in Palm Beach County.”

— Michael Coleman, Police Chief

“With the progress that's being made, with the city and Chief Coleman, it's coming along step by step.”

— Peter Baytarian, Founder and Managing Partner, Forest Development

What’s next

The FBI has issued subpoenas to several Riviera Beach officials regarding the city's marina redevelopment project, but the three teams vying for the project have not pulled out of the running.

The takeaway

Riviera Beach's efforts to rebuild trust with the community and leverage technology to fight crime have been crucial in changing the city's reputation and attracting new luxury development. However, the city still faces challenges with higher poverty levels contributing to elevated crime rates compared to similar-sized cities in the area.