The Blue Notebook - A Weekly SMPD Recap August 10-16, 2024
August 23, 2024 12:29 PM
by Erika Aklufi
08/10/2024-08/16/2024
- The police department recently started publishing a version
of this weekly recap on our website. It’s received a great deal of
positive feedback with residents and other stakeholders appreciating additional
information about the activity and service the police department provides to
all who live, work and visit Santa Monica.
POLICE
DEPARTMENT statistics for the week
Total Calls for Service (CFS): 2,686. 79,195 YTD (through 8/10).
Source of calls:
- Citizen Initiated: 1,594
calls for service. 45,893 YTD (60% of total CFS).
- Officer Initiated: 1,092
calls for service. 31,708 YTD (40% of total CFS).
- Disposition for CFS:
Homeless related = 17% YTD.
- Encampment Calls: 44.
979 YTD.
- 5150 Calls: 10. 409
YTD.
- Arrests: 56 total arrests.
1,677 YTD.
- Citizen Initiated: 1,594
calls for service. 45,893 YTD (60% of total CFS).
Patrol Operations Division
Lewd Activity – 1700 block Ocean Ave. A YouTube group known for setting up and catching child predators contacted the department and advised they had a subject detained for contacting a 15-year-old girl (decoy). The subject was arrested.
No Bail Warrant Arrest - Main/Pico. A police officer stopped the subject for a bicycle violation. A criminal history check uncovered a No Bail warrant for malicious mischief/vandalism out of LAPD. The subject was transported to LAPD’s Pacific Division.
Domestic Violence – 1900 Block of Ocean Way. The suspect and victim are in a dating relationship. A verbal dispute escalated to the suspect punching and biting the victim. Responding officers arrested the suspect for felony domestic violence.
Assault with a Deadly Weapon/Knife - 400 block of Colorado Ave. Officers were flagged down by a witness near the intersection of 5th and Colorado regarding a subject brandishing a weapon. Officers attempted to detain the suspect who fled. The suspect was taken into custody following a short foot pursuit. The suspect was arrested for brandishing a knife (recovered at the scene) and making stabbing motions at two additional victims who left the area.
Sexual Battery - 2nd Street / Broadway. Officers witness the suspect raise a fist and threaten an elderly couple standing nearby. Before the officers could intervene, the suspect then turned and slapped a victim on the buttocks as she was crossing the street. Officers arrested the suspect for sexual battery.
Burglary – 1400 Block Ocean Ave. The subject entered the commercial building, took a bottle of water from the kitchen area, and fled. Officers observed the suspect running from the building and arrested him without further incident.
Warrant Arrest – 500 Block of Olympic Blvd. A subject contacted by officers during the investigation of an Assault with a Deadly Weapon was found to have a warrant out of San Diego County. The subject was taken into custody and will be transferred to the San Diego Sheriff’s Department.
Brandishing / Knife - 200 Block Santa Monica Pier. The suspect was taken into custody without incident after he brandished a knife and threatened to kill the victim. Officers determined the same subject was responsible for two prior similar incidents in the beach/Pier area.
Earthquake - Information was received of 5.3 magnitude earthquake in Bakersfield. Shaking was felt however no damages or injuries were reported. The Public Safety Facility checked okay and windshield survey protocols in the city were followed.
Prohibited Weapon / Brandishing – 1300 Block 3rd Street Promenade. The suspect brandishes a dagger at passersby as he stands in the doorway to a restaurant. Officers contact and take the suspect into custody for the prohibited weapon. Investigation of the suspect revealed he was wanted for crimes in Texas.
No Bail Warrant – 1200 Block 7th Street. While working a community livability detail, an officer stopped a bicyclist for a violation of the municipal code. The suspect initially lied about his personal information. When he was identified, officers learned he had a No Bail warrant for assault.
Robbery – 800 Block Montana Ave. The suspect assaulted an employee at a business while attempting to steal alcohol. The suspect was located nearby and arrested for robbery (Estes).
Commercial Burglary – 2700 Block Ocean Park Blvd. Witnesses reported two subjects attempting to gain entry to the building by removing the front door from its frame. The suspects were able to steal money from two cash registers and other property. The suspects fled in a waiting vehicle eastbound on Ocean Park. The report has been turned over to investigators for follow up.
Robbery - 2500 Block Santa Monica Blvd. The homeless suspect entered the location and stole several towels and shirts. When the employee approached, the suspect pulled out a pocketknife and threatened to stab the victim. The suspect left the area on a navy-blue electric bike heading westbound on Santa Monica Boulevard. The incident is under investigation.
Commercial Burglaries (3 locations) – 2500 & 2700 Blocks Main Street. Two suspects smash a lock box and then gain entry by prying a door open. Two other locations also had smashed lock boxes and missing keys used to enter the businesses. Losses include electronics and cash. All three incidents are believed to be related and are being investigated.
Assault Investigation – 1700 Block Montana Ave. Officers responded to a report of a battery upon an elderly male victim who suffered a head injury. The victim did not know how he ended up injured and on the ground; there were no witnesses to the incident. The victim reported to officers that he had a verbal altercation with a bicyclist one block south of where he was found but did not know if that subject assaulted him. The victim was transported to a local hospital for treatment. The incident is being handled by detectives.
Brandishing / Criminal Threats – 1400 Block 2nd Street- The victim encounters the suspect who, without provocation, displays a knife and threatens to kill the victim. The suspect was located nearby and arrested.
Directed Action Response Team (DART)
Code Enforcement: 4 Citations ;
84 Advisals incl. 17 verbal warnings/15 writtenSMPD: 5 Citations; 7 Field Interviews; 9 Encampments Cleared
Notable Incidents
Ohio
State Fugitive (Sexual Assault) - 1600 Block of the Beach. DART officers
contacted to subjects for an encampment on the beach. The officers used a fingerprint reader to
identify one of the subjects and received a late hit after the stop had been
completed. The officers learned the
suspect was wanted for a rape committed in Ohio. Officers searched for and located the suspect
in the downtown area. He will be extradited
to Ohio. See related news article: https://www.richlandsource.com/2024/08/07/rape-aggravated-robbery-charges-among-fugitives-of-the-week-list/
No
Bail Warrant – Santa Monica Pier. DART
officers monitoring the performer lottery on the Pier were flagged down on the
pier by several tourists who were concerned about a suspicious male subject following
them for the past 20 minutes. The subject was contacted and detained. He was
discovered to be a sex registrant with a No Bail Parole Warrant. The subject
was arrested.
Assistance with Temporary Housing. DART officers made contact this week with a known homeless individual who has been in the city for at least a year. The individual has been reluctant to receive housing resources from the city. The officers have worked hard to develop rapport with the individual who finally agreed to accept a temporary housing situation at Samoshel. Great work by all involved getting a vulnerable individual off of the street and connected with meaningful services.
Community Affairs Unit (CAU)
Community Affairs Unit
Beat 1
The Beat 1 Neighborhood Resource Officer (NRO) and our Public Services Officer (PSO) Supervisors have been collaborating with multiple city departments including Code Enforcement and the City Attorney’s Office to try and address an ongoing issue with a loud performer on Ocean Front Walk. The NRO met with the violator on the oceanfront walk side of Shutters and cited the violator for the above violation. The violator complied with the citation and packed up his items for the day.
NRO Hollowell at the direction of Captain Flores created a Teams meeting on 8/20/2024 to address unpermitted events with amplified sound. Those invited to the meeting are Community Affairs, DART, PSO's, CAO, and Code Enforcement
Beat 2
CAU did preparation for National Night Out on Monday. On Tuesday morning the NNO set up started in the morning and the cleanup was partially completed by 2200 hours. Final cleanup was completed on Wednesday and equipment was returned to the various city departments.
NRO Navarro and Galvan conducted Neighborhood Watch Meeting for residents from 219 Bay Street. Primary concern was the abandoned property at 234 Pico Blvd. NRO Navarro has been in contact with the property manager of the lot, and they will be adding maintenance service to repair breaches in the fencing. They will be also adding security personnel as demolition begins on the property. They also had numerous complaints of Star Liquor and that will be shared with the owner, Ramon, and Code Enforcement.
Beat 3
NRO Galvan and Navarro hosted a Neighborhood Watch meeting via Zoom regarding 219 Bay St. The residents main concern is 234 Pico which is the former bowling alley which is closed and fenced off. Transients have been accessing the parking lot and building. Suggestions were given regarding calling dispatch when trespassers are seen. NRO’s will contact the owners of the property to fix the holes in the fence and properly secure the property.
Beat 4
NRO Wang participated in National Night Out on Tuesday August 6th. NRO Wang helped with the set up and break down of the event as well as other logistics.
Authored By
Erika Aklufi
Lieutenant