A Message from the Interim City Manager

May 31, 2020 9:14 AM
by Lane Dilg

In the City of Santa Monica, our hearts break with those of our larger community.  We need healing, which will require deep and lasting change.     

Yesterday, following the outbreak of violent activity in our neighboring City of Los Angeles and a resulting City-wide curfew instituted by Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, we imposed a curfew in Santa Monica from 8 pm to 5:30 am to ensure the public’s safety.     

Our community remained largely peaceful and safe throughout the evening.  With the initiation of the curfew last night, our Santa Monica Police Department was present across all areas of our city.  The Department responded immediately to one commercial burglary and to one broken window at a business.  No arrests were made for violations of the curfew order.   

The Santa Monica Police Department also provided mutual aid in Beverly Hills and Culver City.  You may have seen images of two vandalized patrol vehicles as SMPD deployed to provide mutual aid.  Our officers were not hurt.  We condemn vandalism and violence in all of its forms.    

Today, you may see some businesses, including the mall, fortify their storefronts to avoid possible damage.  We will continue to monitor the situation through active deployment of the Santa Monica Police Department, as well as ongoing consultation with our community and regional law enforcement partners.  We ask that our community remain calm and safe, and that your freedom of expression remain peaceful.   

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We stand firm in Santa Monica’s longstanding values of accountability, equity, inclusion, innovation, resilience, safety, and stewardship.  We will continue to move toward healing, one foot in front of the other, together.  

Authored By

Lane Dilg
Interim City Manager