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1996 Annual Report
Office of Operations

The primary responsibility of the Office of Operations (OO) 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, Communications Section, K-9 Unit, Community Service Officer II Unit and the Reserve Officer Section.

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

The Office of Operations coordinated the Standardized Emergency Management System Training. This training provides a clear organizational structure for dealing with multi-jurisdictional emergencies. All local law enforcement agencies are required to use the system when responding to multi-jurisdictional or multi-agency emergencies and training is mandatory for local police agencies to be eligible for state reimbursement of response-related personnel costs. Operations personnel received the training.

Uniform Patrol Division

A daily two-officer "early car" was established on Day and Mid Watch to alleviate overtime for Morning Watch officers who might become involved in lengthy incidents occurring near the end of their shift. An added benefit of the "early car" was its ability to provide instant response from roll call because the car and its two officers were equipped and ready for service. The unit was deployed to handle periodic checks and problem-oriented policing projects. Working with the City Attorney's Office, HLP, Los Angeles County Mental Health West's Psychiatric Evaluation Team (PET) and other community organizations, the officers address ongoing problems, such as chronic leaf blower use, disputes and homeless issues.

The school support officer continued to be effective in patrolling school perimeters. A second officer received training and was deployed as the school resource officer on days when the primary officer was unavailable. Because of this deployment, an officer was available on every school day for the first time this year. The officers remained actively involved in the monthly Gang Investigators Meetings, provided valuable training and information, and acted as liaisons with the Gang Unit. In one incident, the officer received intelligence information regarding gang members' plans to shoot some students. Immediate meetings were held with school officials and a plan of action was developed involving Day Watch personnel and the offices of Criminal Investigation and Special Enforcement. The proactive show of police presence in response to the threat likely averted a casualty.

Day and Mid Watch were the source of a high level of community service and excellent police work during the year. A cooperative effort between citizens, watch officers and the Homeless Liaison Program resulted in the reduction of vice problems and homeless-related complaints in Hotchkiss Park. A sergeant and two officers worked with citizens to identify a drug dealer and develop an approach to apprehending the suspect. Information was handed over to Night Watch personnel who ultimately arrested the suspect.

A Day Watch officer saw suspected gang members acting suspiciously in the downtown area. He observed the subjects, established probable cause to contact them, then coordinated with other officers to effect a traffic stop. The subjects were found in possession of automatic weapons and other evidence that indicated they were preparing to commit an armed robbery. These arrests helped clear outstanding robbery cases and resulted in the indictments of the subjects on federal bank robbery charges. Another burglary suspect wanted for more than 60 burglaries was captured after a foot pursuit and search inside of a police perimeter.

Several officers responded to a call in which a woman visiting from another country had hanged herself in an apparent suicide attempt. The woman appeared to have expired when officers arrived, but a sergeant and an officer performed CPR. The woman began breathing on her own prior to the arrival of paramedics.

Day Watch officers responded to an armed robbery in progress at the Santa Monica City Employees' Federal Credit Union by five suspects. Quick response interrupted the takeover style robbery causing the suspects to flee. Two officers were confronted by three of the suspects at the rear of the building and a fight ensured, followed by a foot pursuit. The heroic actions of the officers resulted in the suspects' capture. Officers and supervisors worked together, protecting evidence at the crime scenes. Ultimately, all five of the suspects were captured.

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.

The Night Watch Division continued to focus attention on the implementation of a problem solving policing program. Watch supervisors encouraged officers to identify problems within their areas of responsibility. As watch problems were identified, officers were given resources to impact the problem and work toward long-term solutions.

In one instance, the Department received several complaints from the residents of an apartment building regarding crime problems they were experiencing. A sergeant was made aware of the information and contacted the Community Relations Section. He requested a list of all crimes for the past six months relating to the apartment building and its residents and then held a community meeting with the concerned parties to discuss their issues. A list of actual crimes committed in the area was given to each person in attendance. The list was a useful tool which indicated to residents that their perception of crime was far greater than the actual crimes committed. The sergeant also provided tips on personal safety and building security. At the conclusion of the meeting, residents felt more at ease

In another example of Night Watch's community-oriented approach, an officer began working on impacting the lewd activity in and around Douglas Park. On several occasions, he met with members of the community who live in the area to discuss their concerns. The officer increased his patrol time around the park and conducted periodic checks. He also contacted the Vice Section and requested they deploy in an undercover capacity. Additionally, he contacted other City departments and requested the construction and posting of several signs in the rest rooms warning that the police were monitoring activities in and around those rest rooms. The signs and the collaborative tactics of public and community entities had a significant impact on the problem.

The six Night Watch Field Training Officers (FTO's) continued to shoulder the responsibility of training new officers. Their caring and professional approach to training has had a positive impact on new employees and helped prepare them for their future duties.

The Morning Watch Division focused its suppression activities on automobile thefts. While the Watch as a whole worked diligently toward suppressing this type of activity, the efforts of one K-9 officer were noteworthy. He recovered 25 stolen vehicles, 24 of which resulted in arrests. As a result of his actions, the officer attained "Master" status in the California Highway Patrol's Automobile Theft Recovery Award program.

Over the course of the holiday season, the Watch instituted a Business Check program to suppress robberies. The aim of the program was to provide high visibility patrols, primarily walk-throughs, of those businesses open during late night hours. The program efforts paid off when an officer observed a suspicious person leaving a local business. The astute observation resulted in the arrest of an armed subject who was later determined to be involved in several armed robberies of area businesses.

As a result of training provided on the computer-based Supervised Release File which tracks probationers and parolees, Morning Watch officers were able to identify, locate and arrest a number parolees for violations of the terms of their parole. Training in the area of narcotics use provided officers with insights into the new drug Gama Hydroxide Butyrate (GHB), allowing officers to better respond to service calls.

Watch personnel also used current technologies to plan responses to potential problems. After a periodic monitoring of the Internet for advertising of "rave" parties taking place in Santa Monica, Watch personnel formulated a plan to handle these large-scale, mobile parties. In one instance, a large party, which had been advertised on the Internet, was closed down and the building's owner notified. Potential problems were clearly averted.

The patrol divisions were assisted 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 track down robbery suspects and auto thieves. K-9 handlers were 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. Communication operators, also called dispatchers, prioritize and relay calls to patrol officers and other specialized units in the field. Operators handle more than 16,000 incoming phone calls each month, including 9-1-1 and non-emergency requests. That averages to 196,000 incoming telephone calls handled annually. During 1996, the Communications Center received 109,596 calls for service. Of those calls, citizens initiated 80,956 calls and field units initiated 28,640 calls.

The Reserve Officer Section consists of volunteer officers who serve as an important supplement to uniform patrol and to various administrative, investigative or undercover assignments. Reserve officers serve without compensation, other than remuneration for required court appearances. This year, reserve officers provided 6,100 hours of service.

Reserve Officer Art Graham was honored by State Attorney General Dan Lungren with the State of California Attorney General Commendation, one of only two commendations awarded in 1996. He was also recognized as L. A. County's Reserve Officer of the Year by the L. A. County Peace Officer's Association.

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 primarily 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. Police officers were in the district for up to 15 hours a day providing services. Officers and supervisors working SPD made 326 felony arrests, 1,719 misdemeanor arrests, issued 2,021 misdemeanor citations in lieu of arrests, and wrote 1,670 moving traffic citations in 1996.

The Third Street Promenade Bicycle Patrol, in its fifth year, is still very effective in the downtown business area. The six officers and one sergeant are selected for their interpersonal skills and riding ability. The patrol's high visibility in the downtown area contributes to the public's safety. The bicycles' maneuverability and officers' knowledge of the area permit fast yet silent responses. Officers have also developed an excellent rapport with the local business community. This year, unit officers made 171 felony arrests, 792 misdemeanor arrests and issued 572 misdemeanor citations in lieu of arrests.

The Community Service Officer (CSO)I Unit, comprised of 11 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 downtown business area and parking structures. They report suspicious activity to the Department, act as an invaluable informational resource for the public and promote a sense of security within the Bayside District. CSOs staff the Information Kiosk at 1440B 3rd Street Promenade. During 1996, more than 41,391 inquiries were handled at the kiosk from visitors around the world. In addition. they assisted officers in making 127 felony arrests, 624 misdemeanor arrests and in issuing 402 misdemeanor citations.

Four officers were assigned to the Homeless Liaison Program (HLP) in 1996, working closely with the homeless population and social service providers to ensure that those in need were directed to 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 possible, thus eliminating the need for beat officers to respond to the calls. The HLP team handled a total of 8,370 calls in 1996, 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 project 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 Park Rangers' primary responsibility is to patrol the City's parks and report suspicious or criminal activities and unsafe conditions. Park rangers enforce relatively minor infractions, giving warnings when applicable or issuing citations for dog violations.

The Harbor Patrol Unit, located at the west end of the Santa Monica Pier, provides 24-hour pier security, ocean swimmer rescues and vessel assists. 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 seven part-time harbor guards.

The Santa Monica Pier restoration continued with the opening of Pacific Park and two new restaurant/night club establishments. The new attractions along with many community events, brought many new visitors to the Pier. The Harbor Patrol staff provided security for the visitors as well as first-aid to those in need. During the year, the harbor vessel Monica 1 was dispatched to assist boaters in distress in the pier area and helped extinguish a small fire under the pier.

Harbor guards assisted police in 3,005 incidents, resulting in 73 arrests. They also assisted pier lessees in 722 incidents, rendered first-aid to 696 pier visitors and assisted the Los Angeles County Lifeguards on 184 occasions. They performed 43 swimming rescues, mostly at night, and 27 vessel assists.

The Pier Substation officially opened its doors to the public on August 31, 1995. Its purpose is to provide a functional police facility to meet increased law enforcement needs within the pier and beach community.

The sub-station opens seven days a week throughout the year with hours of operation depending upon the increase or decrease of pier visitors. The front desk is staffed with non-sworn employees (CSO II's) to assist members of the public. They provide information and take desk reports as needed. They also have telephonic reporting to better assist citizens who find it difficult to drive to the main station to complete reports. During normal business hours, the sub-station is available to all officers who wish to use the facility.

Since May, when the substation began to be staffed, the CSO's wrote a total of 2,340 reports, including telephonic and counter reports, answered over 1,600 calls for service, and responded to over 12,500 questions.

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This page was last modified on 01/26/2008