2022 Santa Monica Police Department Annual Report

February 14, 2023 2:47 PM
by Rudy Flores

As a part of the Santa Monica Police Department’s commitment to transparency, we continue to make our policies, procedures, and data available to the public. While the City’s open data portal provides day-to-day information related to crime in Santa Monica, annually, we compile a comprehensive report on crime, calls for service, and arrest data for the City of Santa Monica. This review of 2022 also includes data from the four previous years to provide context and historical information on citywide crime trends.

Calls for Service: In 2022, SMPD received 104,061 calls for service.

Over 23% or approximately 24,000 of those calls were pro-active and officer-initiated.
19,946 calls were related to homelessness.

Arrests: In 2022, SMPD officers had 2,439 arrests (up 840 incidents over 2021 statistics).

SMPD’s Crime Analysts conducted a review and analysis of the reported information. It is important to note, this is preliminary data used to inform the public. Information is extracted by the occurrence date and may change after review and investigation. The information obtained by our analysts gives our department the opportunity to strategically plan how we can efficiently and effectively protect our city.

We remain sensitive to and respectful of the experiences of our residents, businesses, and visitors. Our focus and attention to issues of crime and disorder will always be a top priority at SMPD.

Citywide, Part I crime increased by 419 incidents (10%) when compared to 2021 totals. Incidents of Aggravated Assault, Robbery, and Grand Theft Auto accounted for the largest areas of increase, while a notable decrease was documented in the category of burglary.

Aggravated Assault cases rose to 408 in 2022; an increase of 41 incidents in comparison to 2021.
Robbery: In 2022, robberies increased by 74 to a total of 231 incidents overall. Approximately half of all robberies were categorized as strong arm, with no physical weapon involved.
- While the reported incidents is still lower than pre-pandemic reports, the department increased patrols in the Downtown area resulting in positive impacts.
Grand Theft Auto: There continues to be a significant increase in the number of vehicles stolen. Incidents rose 121 incidents to a total of 541 in 2022, marking the sharpest increase in Part I crimes.
- Regionally, police agencies shared information warning the communities they serve about the TikTok trend/challenge related to the theft of Kia and Hyundai vehicles without anti-theft engine immobilizers.
Burglary: The category of Non-Residential Burglary continues to show a decline after a large spike in 2020. There were 306 non-residential incidents in 2022, a decrease of 103 incidents over the prior year. Residential burglaries increased by 31 reports in 2022.
- Residents and business owners are encouraged to contact their Crime Prevention Coordinator to request a free security assessment.
Larceny: There was an overall increase in larcenies, compared to 2021; from 2,495 to 2,746 (up 251 incidents).
- Bicycle theft incidents showed the largest decrease; down from 460 to 312 (-148). Residents are reminded to register their bikes and to purchase a sturdy lock.
- Shoplifting incidents increased from 249 to 480 (up 231 incidents).
- Theft from Motor Vehicles increased from 682 to 794 (+112) between 2021 and 2022.

Part II Crime increased overall by 548 incidents (+21%) in 2022 up from 2,668 to 3,216.

Simple assault increased 161 incidents in comparison to 2021 with 742 incidents reported. This annual total is closer to the number of incidents reported in 2018 and 2019.
Weapons charges also increased up from 24 in 2021 to 54 (+30) in 2022. The 24 incidents reported in 2020 were a 5-year low, with counts of 71,87 and 50 respectively, in the three years prior.
Narcotics possession (typically a proactive arrest) is up 105 incidents in 2022 over 2021 (123 vs 228)
Fraud: Incidents of fraud decreased from 258 in 2021 to 218 in 2022; less 40 incidents. Staff continue to share tips via social media to help avoid gift card and banking scams that target vulnerable residents, especially in the elderly population.

The Santa Monica Police Department is an organization that works within the principles of democracy and constitutional policing. We are dedicated and will continue to work in conjunction with our civic and community partners to solve problems and make our city a safe and great place to live, work and visit. For more information on starting a Neighborhood Watch, requesting a security assessment or to reach your Neighborhood Resource Officer, please contact the Community Affairs Unit at (310) 458-8474 (Community.Affairs@santamonica.gov). And, as always, if You See Something, Say Something! Dial 9-1-1 for emergencies or (310) 458-8491 to reach our 24/7 Non-Emergency Dispatcher.

Authored By

Rudy Flores
Captain