Celebrating the 4th of July in Santa Monica- A Law Enforcement Perspective
July 15, 2024 10:08 AM
by Erika Aklufi
On May 18th, the SMPD celebrated our 128th anniversary as the primary law enforcement organization in this city. With all those years of serving the Santa Monica community we have lots of experience with July 4th holiday weekends! We expected to see big crowds at the beach trying to escape the inland heat, increased traffic on the freeways and PCH, and more vehicles in the downtown area circling for parking spots. In addition, our community and police department prepared for our annual parade on Main Street, various festivals and events in our parks and other open spaces, and even some block parties. Each year curious residents ask us what we experience over the 4th of July weekend and how we prepare for the added challenges brought by crowds visiting from all over the world.
Here are some FAQ’s specifically comparing this year’s holiday weekend (July 4th to the 7th) and the weekend of June 20th through the 23rd, 2024:
How does the police department’s staffing/deployment change for the holiday weekend?
First things first: Our citywide deployment of officers working patrol operations stays the same no matter what. We have a responsibility to provide public safety service to the residents, business owners, and visitors in our entire 8.3 square miles. This equates to three patrol watches that provide 24/7 coverage to the city, our Downtown Services Unit specifically responsible for calls in the DTSM footprint, the motor unit that handles traffic enforcement, our UAS (aka, the Drone), our K9 officers, and several teams of professional (non-sworn) uniformed employees: Public Services Officers, Community Services Officers, Harbor Guards, Animal Control, and Traffic Services (parking control and enforcement).
In addition to our operations deployment, we hire sworn and nonsworn personnel on overtime in anticipation of the increase in calls for service that comes along with more visitors. Over the July 4th weekend, the SMPD filled 101 sworn overtime shifts spread across the weekend. By comparison, the department hired officers for 54 overtime shifts the weekend of June 20th through the 23rd, or about half of the extra personnel we needed for the holiday.
These extra officers working over 4th of July weekend were assigned to the Pier, foot beat on the Promenade, day and night shifts on the beach, our Mounted Unit, and to additional bike patrols in the downtown area. We also provided police officers and traffic services officers to help ensure a fun and safe experience at the 4th of July parade.
What kinds of calls for service did the police department respond to over the 4th of July weekend?
The SMPD logged 1654 calls for service from the 4th to the 7th:
405 on 7/4,
442 on 7/5,
391 on 7/6, and
416 on 7/7.
This total encompasses both calls from the public and self-initiated activity like Periodic Checks (286 completed), Pedestrian Stops (62), traffic stops (98) and encampments addressed (18).
As expected, we saw a significant increase in calls for municipal code violations (119 incidents v. 32 during the June weekend). This increase was mostly due to calls related to fireworks.
Some of the higher frequency call types:
· Disturbing the Peace - 198
· Petty Theft - 37
· Status/Welfare Check - 53
· Trespassing - 59
· Misdemeanor Battery - 16
· Traffic Collisions - 16
What were some the results of those calls for service?
Our officers wrote 91 reports and issued 117 non-traffic citations, these are cite and release arrests for misdemeanors where we follow the LA County Zero-Bail Policy. In addition, we physically booked/arrested 37 individuals over the holiday: 19 for misdemeanors (released from the jail with citations per Zero Bail), 11 for felonies, and 7 warrant arrests. The felony arrests were for: Felony Domestic Violence, Assault with a Deadly Weapon (2), Commercial Burglary (2), Possession of Drugs with Intent to Sell (2), Possession of a Loaded Firearm, Felony Criminal Threats, Felony Vandalism, Felony Parole Violation (2), and Felony Battery on a Police Officer.
The misdemeanor arrests included: Misdemeanor Vandalism, Misdemeanor Assault, Misdemeanor Battery, Indecent Exposure, Shoplifting, Public Intoxication, Drug Possession, and DUI (three arrests on July 4th).
How does the frequency compare to another summer weekend?
By comparison, we had 1,434 calls for service during the four days from June 20th to the 23rd. This total encompasses both calls from the public and self-initiated activity like Periodic Checks (313 completed), Pedestrian Stops (35), traffic stops (27) and encampments addressed (16).
Some of the higher frequency call types:
· Disturbing the Peace - 199
· Petty Theft - 29
· Status/Welfare Check - 59
· Trespassing - 47
· Misdemeanor Battery - 18
· Traffic Collisions - 19
How did your updated technology program help make the city safer during the holiday weekend?
We are so glad you asked! Since its inception a few years back, the SMPD’s Drone as a First Responder (DFR) program has provided a huge benefit to public safety in Santa Monica. The DFR program incorporates a sworn officer pilot who flies the drone from a launch site on the roof of the Public Safety Facility. The officer monitors our radio channels and can listen to 911 calls as they come into dispatch. The drone can be airborne almost immediately and has the advantages of being able to take the shortest route to calls and providing an overwatch for additional officers arriving on the ground. Once on-scene, the pilot can provide updates, check for suspects fleeing and give a direction of travel, and guide in responding officers. All of this significantly increases our chances of successfully and safely ending dangerous incidents.
On July 6th, our drone was returning to the station from a radio call when the pilot decided to go survey the crowd situation near the Pier and beach lots. As he was flying over Lot 1 North (the large lot just north of the Pier), the pilot noticed a male subject wandering through the lot acting suspiciously. As he watched, the subject sidled up to an unoccupied parked vehicle, pulled a screwdriver and another tool from the kangaroo pocket in his sweatshirt, and quickly punched open the lock on the driver side door. The subject climbed inside the vehicle and spent about two minutes inside the vehicle before exiting. While he was in the vehicle, the pilot called for officers to respond to the lot. While they were on the way, the suspect used the same tactics to break into another vehicle, this time a truck. By this time, the pilot guided responding officers to the correct row in the parking lot. Officers found the suspect in possession of multiple stolen items and placed him under arrest for Vehicle burglary and various other theft crimes.
But don’t take our word for it! Here is a link to the drone footage just described:
Authored By
Erika Aklufi
Lieutenant