Understanding Santa Monica's Crime Picture
May 15, 2018 12:07 PM
by Saul Rodriguez
Crime is up in Santa Monica and we want to address your concerns. The City is committed to public safety and providing you with the highest quality of service, protection and transparency. Below, you will find data including the number of arrests and citations, the types of crime committed, and an in-depth look into Part 1 crimes. Tracking crime data allows the police department to adjust strategies and allocate the appropriate amount of resources to better serve you. We are actively hearing from you, and we appreciate that. The total numbers of service calls we received were 121,205 in 2017, including self-initiated responses from police officers. On average, we are addressing 340 calls a day.
Key Definitions
- Part 1 Crimes: Serious crimes are broken into two categories: violent and property crimes.
- Violent Crimes – Aggravated assault, forcible rape, murder, robbery.
- Non-violent Property Crimes – Arson, burglary, larcenytheft, motor vehicle theft.
- Felony: The most serious types of crimes, which are usually defined by the fact that they are punishable by prison sentences of greater than one year.
- Misdemeanor: A lesser crime punishable by a fine and/ or county jail time for up to one year. Misdemeanors are distinguished from felonies, which can be punished by a state prison term. They are tried in the lowest local court such as municipal, police or justice courts.
- Larceny: Theft of personal property.
- Citation: A ticket issued by the police, such as a traffic ticket. They are preventative measures for future accidents and risks.
- Infraction – A violation of an administrative regulation, an ordinance, a municipal code, and, in some jurisdictions, a state or local traffic rule. Sometimes called a “petty offense.”
- Traffic – A moving violation, such as exceeding the speed limit, or a non-moving violation, such as a parking violation.
Sworn and Civilian Totals
- Sworn staff are graduates of the Police Academy and rank from Police Officer Trainee to Chief.
- Civilian (un-sworn) staff are support staff, including traffic service officers, animal control officers, park rangers, etc.
Content Provided Courtesy of Santa Monica Police Department
Authored By
Saul Rodriguez
Captain -