Office of Operations

The primary responsibility of the Office of Operations is to provide the initial police response to incidents in progress, to ensure the protection of life and property, and to preserve the peace. The Office is commanded by a police captain and consists of the Uniform Patrol Division and the Directed Resources Division. The Uniform Patrol Division includes the three patrol watches, Special Policing District (SPD), Communications Section, K-9 Unit, Community Service Officer II's, Pico Neighborhood Bicycle Unit and the Reserve Officer Section.

Under the Directed Resources Division is the Homeless Liaison Program (HLP), Park Rangers, Third Street Promenade Bicycle Unit, Third Street Promenade Community Service Officer I Unit and the Harbor Unit. The Communications Section was brought into Operations while the Jail and Custody Section was transferred to the Office of Administrative Services. A new substation was opened in the central area of the pier. It is currently open four days per week and is staffed by Community Service Officers (CSO's). The Homeless Liaison Program (HLP) team also uses the substation as its headquarters.

The Unusual Occurrence format was developed, establishing guidelines for personnel to follow in the event of a significant event. In June, all Operations supervisors attended mandatory Unusual Occurrence training. The one-day seminar included information on tactical command and control, command post operation, hostage negotiations and media relations. During the second half of the year, several events necessitated the implementation of the Unusual Occurrence format. Overall, these instances went smoothly, but they also provided the opportunity for critical review and some changes were adopted. The program will continue to be monitored and evaluated.

Uniform Patrol Divisions

Installation and activation of the Mobile Data Terminal (MDT) system in patrol cars was the most significant technological development occurring during the year. The project had an immediate and dramatic impact upon the ability of patrol personnel to effectively perform their duties. The MDT system not only made it possible to disseminate information efficiently and accurately, but provided field personnel with a vital investigative tool. With access to the major Justice Data Interface Controller (JDIC) functions, officers could verify suspects' identities, run warrant checks, and do a multitude of other investigative functions from patrol units. The savings in personnel time was considerable.

During the past year, the Day and Mid Watch Division was involved in enforcement operations throughout the city. The division committed to the suppression of auto theft, theft from motor vehicles and theft of motor vehicle accessories, narcotics sales and use, and street robberies. During the second half of the year, division staff specifically addressed two of the goals: suppression of auto thefts and thefts/burglaries from motor vehicles. A plainclothes detail was fielded in a further effort to combat those crimes which resulted in significant crime reductions.

Officer Munoz continued to work in the role of the School Resources Officer and liaison with the Gang Detail in the Office of Special Enforcement. He attended all the West Side Gang meetings and provided training on gang-related subjects to Day and Mid Watch personnel.

The Community Service Officer II Unit is under the general supervision of the Day and Mid Watch Division. It is comprised of civilian personnel who respond to incidents that require a police report when a suspect is no longer at the location and cannot be immediately located. This provides the public with a timely response without depleting available police officer resources.

In November, two Night Watch Division officers learned of a group of individuals who were targeting fast-food restaurants and video rental stores in the Santa Monica and Los Angeles areas. They took a proactive approach, preparing for the possibility that the group would return and commit another robbery in Santa Monica. The two officers visited fast-food restaurants and video rental stores within the City and diagramed each location, making specific note of possible escape routes. They presented the information during Night Watch briefing and each officer received copies of the diagrams. The preparation paid off on December 19 at 1:11 a.m. After monitoring a radio broadcast of an armed robbery in progress at the Wilshire Blvd. Jack-in-the-Box restaurant, an officer monitored one of the escape routes and observed a Toyota with three possible suspects inside. He stopped the vehicle which lead to the positive identification and arrest of all three suspects and the recovery of the stolen currency. The suspects were members of a local gang believed responsible for approximately 25 fast food robberies from San Pedro to Holly wood.

Although faced with staffing shortages, Morning Watch Division's productivity totals in the major performance categories were on par with those watches having more personnel. Over the course of the year, Morning Watch handled 23, 617 calls for service, arrested 504 felons, recovered 53 stolen vehicles, made 301 arrests for Driving While Intoxicated (DUI), effected 1,567 misdemeanor arrests and completed 2,574 field interview cards. Morning Watch's supervisory staffing was brought up to full complement when officers Mark Smiley, Marianne Fullove and Maury Sumlin were promoted to sergeant and assigned to the watch. Another newly promoted sergeant, Dave Thomas, was added to Night Watch.

The patrol divisions were enhanced by four-legged officers "Jacco," "Geert," "Breston" and "Roy." The K-9 Unit, consisting of four Night and Morning Watch division officers, responded to various calls for service, including high-risk incidents. In addition to handling virtually all of the burglary alarms in the city, K-9 units were used to help track down armed robbery suspects and auto thieves. K-9 handlers continued to be on 24-hour call-out status and responded from their homes on several occasions to assist in the search for elusive criminal suspects.

The Communications Center receives and dispatches emergency and routine calls for service. Communications Operators (or dispatchers) prioritize and relay the calls to patrol officers and other specialized units in the field. Operators handle over 16,000 incoming phone calls each month, including 9-1-1 and non-emergency requests. That averages to more than 192,000 incoming phone calls handled annually. During 1995, the Communications Center received 110,025 calls for service. Compared to 1994, this is an increase of 261 calls for service. Of those calls for service, citizens initiated 79,215 calls, and field units initiated 30,810 calls. A total of 16,425 calls for service were of an emergency nature and required immediate response. Communications Supervisor Cathy Gourgouris was appointed to the position of Communications Manager. Gourgouris, along with Communications Operator Eric Uller, conducted the training and implementation of the Mobile Data Terminals (MDTs) in police vehicles. Communications Supervisor Judith Burgess received a Distinguished Public Service Award from the Rotary Club for helping save the life of a suicidal woman on the telephone.

The Reserve Office Section consists of volunteer officers who serve as an important supplement to uniform patrol and to various administrative, investigative or under cover assignments. Reserve Officers serve without compensation other than remuneration for required court appearances. While most of the hours the Reserve Officers donate are in uniform patrol, they also work for the Office of Special Enforcement in narcotic sting programs, etc.

Directed Resources Division

The Directed Resources Division includes the Special Policing District (SPD), Homeless Liaison Program (HLP) Unit , Third Street Promenade Bicycle Unit, Third Street Promenade Community Service Officer I Unit, Park Ranger Unit and the Harbor Section.

The Special Policing District (SPD), staffed exclusively by supervisors and officers working on overtime, extends from Wilshire to Pico Boulevards and from Lincoln Boulevard to the beach, including the Santa Monica Pier and Palisades Park. Daily deployment concentrated on crimes that threaten the district's quality of life, particularly sales and use of narcotics in Palisades Park, thefts from vehicles parked in the district, drunkenness, aggressive panhandling and disorderly conduct. Officers and supervisors working SPD made 297 felony arrests, 1,651 misdemeanor arrests, issued 2,109 Q-citations in lieu of arrests, and wrote 1,509 moving traffic citations in 1995. Part I offenses in the district decreased by 4% from 1994. Part II offenses, for the most part reported as the result of arrests, went down 40% in 1995. Thefts from autos in the Special Policing District likewise decreased 15% in 1995 compared to 1994. Calls for service in the district, on the other hand, increased by 9% in 1995.

The Third Street Promenade Bicycle Patrol, in its fourth year, is still very effective in the downtown business area. The six officers and one sergeant are skilled riders of specially equipped police bicycles. Personnel are selected for their inter personal skills and riding ability. Agility, maneuver ability and knowledge of the area permit fast yet silent responses. High visibility and presence in the downtown area ensures a perception of public safety. They have also developed an excellent rapport with the local business community. This year, officers in the unit made 165 felony arrests, 819 misdemeanor arrests and issued 618 Q-citations in lieu of arrests.

The Community Service Officer (CSO) I Unit, comprised of eleven non-sworn, uniformed personnel, is supervised by the Third Street Promenade Bicycle Patrol sergeant. They are also adept, well trained bicycle riders assigned to the down town business area and parking structures. They report suspicious activity to the Police Department, are an invaluable informational resource for the public and promote a sense of security within the Bayside District. The C.S.O.'s staff the Information Kiosk at 1440B 3rd Street Promenade. During 1995, over 36,350 inquiries were handled at the kiosk from visitors around the world. In addition they assisted officers in making 119 felony arrests, 511 misdemeanor arrests and in issuing 358 Q-citations.

Officers Tom Aguilar, Joe Gardner, Wendell Shirley and Doug Theus were assigned to the Homeless Liaison Program (HLP) in 1995. HLP officers worked closely with the homeless population and social service providers to insure that those in need were directed to the appropriate social service agencies for assistance. The HLP team conducted numerous daily periodic checks of problem locations related to homelessness and handled HLP hotline complaints from citizens regarding homeless problems. They also volunteered to handle homeless-related calls for service when they could, thus eliminating the need for beat officers to respond to the calls. The HLP team handled a total of 9,573 calls in 1995, virtually all related to homelessness.

HLP officers also conducted several special operations during the year. One such operation was a public education campaign for liquor retailers to prevent illegal sales of alcoholic beverages to habitual drunkards and intoxicated persons. Another was a shopping cart exchange program to deter the illegal use of shopping carts. A third was an aggressive enforcement campaign to discourage theft of recycling materials. The HLP team also participated in a ride-along program in which psychiatric interns rode with team members to assist mentally ill homeless individuals in the field.

The Pico Neighborhood Bike Unit is comprised of four officers and a police sergeant. The Unit's primary role is to interact with the residents within the area encompassed by Pico to Olympic Boulevards and Cloverfield Boulevard to Fourteenth Street. Adopting Problem Oriented Policing as their underlying strategy, the officers can handle matters in a traditional as well as non-traditional style. The traditional approach includes making arrests and conducting high visibility patrol on bicycles. The non-traditional approach is finding long-term solutions to chronic problems. By working daily as partners with the community, the Unit has been able to create an atmosphere of mutual respect and trust with the residents they have come to know on a first name basis. The officers also assure that graffiti and trash is quickly removed to reduce neighborhood blight and the "broken window effect."

The Park Ranger Unit's primary responsibility is to patrol the City's parks and report suspicious or criminal activities and unsafe conditions. Park Rangers enforce the relatively minor infractions, giving warnings when applicable or issuing citations for dog violations.

The Harbor Patrol Section, located at the west end of the Santa Monica Pier, provides 24-hour pier security, ocean swimmer rescues and vessel assists for the city. Harbor Guards render first aid, maintain the harbor warning buoys and pier pilings, perform routine beach patrols, lock the beach lots nightly, provide daily beach, weather, boating and fishing information and rescue ailing marine mammals. The office is staffed by one Police Sergeant, six full-time and nine part-time Harbor Guards. They are expecting a new rescue vessel in March '96 which will have fire fighting capabilities for protecting the pier and other vessels. The Harbor Patrol coordinates with the Special Policing District to further reduce crime and improve the perception of safety within the pier and beach community. Harbor Guards assisted police in 2,571 incidents resulting in 217 arrests. They also assisted pier lessees in 674 incidents and rendered first aid to 319 pier patrons. They performed 40 swimming rescues, mostly at night, and 13 vessel assists.

The Pier Substation (PSS) opened its doors to the public on August 31. Its purpose was to provide a fully functional police facility to meet increased law enforcement needs within the pier and beach community. In particular, its opening was related to the development of the Pacific Park "Amusement Park," scheduled to open on the pier in May of '96. The PSS is currently open seven days a week from 11:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m., (till 1:00 am on Fridays and Saturdays) with civilian employees (CSO II's) staffing the front desk to assist members of the public. The CSO II's provide information, direct contact with the Police Department and desk reports, as needed. They have also started a trial "Telephone Report" program to better assist the citizens who find it difficult to drive to the main office for specific reports. During normal business hours, PSS is available to any officer who wishes to use the facility, including the Special Policing District, beach and pier overtime details and daily patrol. The CSO II's opened PSS for 71 days of service, writing a total of 176 reports (133 telephonic reports and 43 counter reports), answered 155 calls for service and responded to 1,917 information questions.

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This page was last modified on 01/26/2008

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