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1996 Annual Report
Office of Special Enforcement

The Office of Special Enforcement (OSE), commanded by a captain, is organized into the Special Operations Division and the Traffic Division. The Special Operations Division consists of the Metro and Narcotic sections, Crime Impact Team, Pico Neighborhood Bike Unit, Vice Unit, U. S. Customs Detail, Transit Detail and the Airport Security Unit. The Traffic Division encompasses all facets of traffic enforcement and control. That includes the Motorcycle Detail, Parking Enforcement Section, Commercial Vehicle Enforcement, Accident Follow-Up Investigator, Major Accident Response Team and Crossing Guards.

In January , OSE was assigned surveillance duties for a serial rapist, becoming part of the South Side Rape Task Force. In April, the investigative responsibility was transferred to OSE to ensure continuity in managing the case. OSE was reorganized to assume these responsibilities. The Rape Task Force was then divided into two sections: surveillance and investigations. Task force personnel included 20 officers, three investigators and three sergeants. One sergeant was the investigations supervisor and the OSE Executive Officer was the operations commander.

The 20 officers assigned to the task force were responsible for all field operations, which included a seven day a week surveillance. Shifts and days off were changed several times to accommodate the ever changing deployment and tactics utilized by the task force. All other Special Operations Division activities, other than emergencies, were put on hold for the duration of the investigation. The primary goal became to identify and apprehend the rape suspect.

The three investigators were charged with investigation of hundreds of clues and leads. The Rape Task Force developed a long- and short-term strategy. In the short term, investigators analyzed all of the information that had been gathered up to that point. This resulted in a theory that a rape which occurred on the north side of the City during the series of crimes, was actually a separate crime from the south side rapes. One investigator was assigned to follow up on that crime. He developed evidence which linked a known suspect to the rape. That suspect was arrested and subsequently eliminated as a suspect in all south side cases.

The long-term strategy was to investigate all leads as they were received and to collaborate closely with other agencies in the search for potential suspects. As the investigation continued, assigned investigators followed up on hundreds of tips from a clue line, a special phone set up specifically for the rape task force. They were also in contact with numerous agencies, including: state parole, county probation, California Department of Justice, Los Angeles County Sheriffs, FBI Center for Analysis of Violent Crime, Washington State Attorney's Office, National Institute of Justice and many others. These and other sources produced a list of more than ten thousand names of possible suspects. The list was pared by eliminating those who did not fit the suspect profiles or had no connection with the city of Santa Monica. Then, a list of 1,200 potential suspects was investigated further. Most of the suspects were eliminated. Although the investigation remains open because the suspect was not apprehended, the surveillance was discontinued in the latter part of August, and OSE returned to normal deployment.

Shortly after the Rape Task Force ended, OSE was responsible for implementing a tactical plan for the upcoming civil trial of O. J. Simpson. This plan involved the City Manager's Office, all OSE sections, and numerous other City and county departments.

At the beginning of the trial, the Metro and Traffic Sections handled traffic problems in the Civic Center complex. With a zero tolerance for parking violations, City staff increased signage and put increased time restrictions on surrounding lots, especially the metered lot south of City Hall. During the trial, the Parking Section issued more than 5,000 citations. The City also decided on a zero tolerance for souvenir vendors. On the first day, a vendor was arrested and many others were warned. The resulting publicity eliminated what could have been a significant problem for the remainder of the trial. Such strict enforcement kept the number of onlookers, vendors and visitors without court business, to a minimum.

After the first two weeks, the Metro and Traffic sections were no longer needed. In fact, there were few incidents during the trial at which OSE personnel were required. None were significant and there were no arrests. In a debriefing with all concerned, the media were very complimentary of all public services and the level of participation and cooperation they experienced.

In an unrelated incident, the Special Operations Division, OO officers and OCI officers responded to a radio call regarding two suspects who had robbed a business at gunpoint, then shot a citizen in an attempted carjacking. While the officers were responding, the two suspects carjacked a second citizen at gunpoint and began to flee in the stolen car. When the officers arrived in the area and observed the suspects, three different police vehicles were shot at by the two suspects. After a short pursuit the suspects were apprehended. There were no injuries to the officers and no further injuries to any citizen.

Special Operations Division

The Narcotics Section's exclusive involvement in the Rape Task Force for almost eight months, resulted in a resurgence of narcotic activity. Not having been "on the street" for eight months, narcotic enforcement officers had to rebuild their informant and information base. At the end of the year, they were again addressing narcotics problems in the city.

The Drug Enforcement Administration requested that the Narcotics Section assist them in the investigation of a major ring of heroin and methamphetamine dealers. The investigation is ongoing.

The Metro Section is responsible for high-profile uniform patrol and selective enforcement in problem areas. Metro also makes up the core of the Special Entry Team which performs high-risk entries. Because of the potentially dangerous situations that high-risk entries pose to officers and suspects, Metro officers train a significant amount of time to minimize the chance of injury to all involved parties. Due to the Rape Task Force, training time for the year was very limited. Despite being assigned to the task force, Metro was called out 18 times on high-risk warrants. All entries were completed without incident.

Each year, Metro competes in the Ventura SWAT Championships. The competition involves 12 other SWAT teams from agencies around southern California. Despite limited training time, the Metro officers competed and placed first. This is the second time in three years of competing that the Metro team has taken first place honors at the event.

In addition to high-risk entries, Metro is subject to "call-outs," which requires them to be available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. They were called-out six times this year for assisting K-9 officers on high-risk searches and supporting the Office of Criminal Investigation in surveilling felony suspects.

The Crime Impact Team (CIT) is staffed by six officers and a sergeant. The focus of the team is selective enforcement. This type of enforcement includes the suppression of robbery and street narcotic activity, reduction of theft from autos and uniform patrol. The team's enforcement activity was also impacted by the Rape Task Force.

Prior to the Rape Task Force, narcotics problems at 7th and Broadway had been resolved. After the long absence of CIT, citizen complaints were again received concerning drug activity there. This was given immediate attention from the team, with officers deployed in both plainclothes and uniform. In less than a week, 21 arrests were made for various narcotics violations.

The Vice Section is responsible for enforcing regulations concerning liquor establishment permits and laws covering public acts of lewd conduct and prostitution. In addition, they enforce licensing and regulations for massage parlors and any type of illegal gambling.

Vice officers began receiving numerous calls from citizens complaining about prostitution activity along Lincoln Blvd. The two vice officers formulated a two-phase plan. The first phase involved vice and narcotics officers working undercover and arresting prostitutes working along Lincoln Boulevard. Once arrested, the violators were photographed and their names recorded in a violator book. The intent was to keep track of repeat offenders in order to assist officers in obtaining court-issued stay away orders. The second phase was a reverse sting operation which required undercover female officers to dress and act as prostitutes. The sting resulted in 70 arrests of offenders for prostitution, lewd public acts and solicitation of prostitution. The City Attorney then requested and received from the court, stay away orders as a part of sentencing. Additionally, a sergeant attended meetings of the Lincoln Boulevard Action Committee and provided updates on Department progress in addressing their concerns. He also involved the Community Relations Section which continues to work with the committee. Prostitution activity and complaints have ceased in this area.

Vice also conducted a sting operation in conjunction with The California Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC). All vendors in the city were invited to a training session on state and local alcohol regulations and laws. A list of attendees was made and a selective sting enforcement followed. Those who were charged with violations after attending the training had little defense in court.

The Pico Neighborhood Bike Detail was reassigned to OSE in the early part of 1996. The unit now consists of a sergeant and four bike officers. Two of those officers work gang problems when time allows. The unit remains heavily involved in the Pico Neighborhood community. Officers attend the Virginia Park Advisory Board, Pico Neighborhood Association and other community meetings.

Their problem oriented policing (POP) approach has been very effective. After receiving information from community contacts regarding drug activity at a local bar, the unit organized a plan and initiated enforcement. This resulted in the arrest of more than 40 narcotics suspects. The bar was closed and their liquor license suspended by ABC.

The Airport Security Unit provides security for all structures and aircraft located within airport property. Several visits by President Clinton involved his arrival at the Santa Monica Airport. The visits were usually on short notice and Airport Security worked closely with the U. S. Secret Service to assure the President arrived and departed on schedule and without incident.

The Air Support Unit provides surveillance for OSE during special operations and as a back- up for patrol. In addition, the unit is contracted with and provides support to many local agencies. In one operation, the unit assisted in a surveillance which resulted in the seizure of hundreds of grams of heroin and the arrest of several suspects.

The Transit Detail is a new detail, staffed by two uniform officers supervised by a sergeant. The detail was requested by the Transportation Department to provide safety on buses and is funded through their budget. They had several concerns. One was rowdy behavior of high school students that interfered with the bus driver's control of the vehicle. The officers' presence reduced both problem behavior and incidents of vandalism, generating positive response from both the public and especially from bus drivers.

Traffic Division

The Traffic Division consists of the Motors, Commercial Enforcement, Traffic Accident Investigation, Parking Enforcement, and School Crossing Guards.

The Motor Unit developed a new program to reduce serious traffic accidents by providing selective enforcement in areas where serious accidents occur. The program was first used after a tragic hit and run felony accident occurred in the 2200 block of Pico Blvd. In the 30 days after the accident, more than 450 citations were issued in the area of the accident. The average speed in the area slowed down considerably and no other injury accidents have occurred. The Community Relations Section reported on the progress of the program to the local Neighborhood Watch group.

This past summer, the Pacific Park on the Santa Monica Pier celebrated its grand opening. In addition, the Cirque Du Soleil was performing daily in the parking lot next to the pier. These two events, along with the usual summer crowds, created traffic problems for the immediate area. The problems were addressed by the Motor Unit which again used selective enforcement. In the month of July alone, 512 citations were written for various violations, primarily violations that endangered pedestrians. The traffic problems were mitigated and pedestrian safety improved.

There were 1,919 traffic accidents reported during 1996, a decrease of 45 from those reported in 1995. Injury traffic accidents also decreased from 528 reported in 1995 to 462 in 1996. In 98 of the accidents, drunk driving was the primary cause and injury resulted in 26 of the 98 accidents. In each injury accident, the drunk driver had to pay the police department $375 for the time spent investigating the case.

The Motor Unit, with the support of the California Highway Patrol, conducted five driving under the influence (DUI) checkpoints. More than 4000 drivers were screened and given educational material on DUI drivers. Ten of the drivers were arrested for drunk driving. The Motor Unit also conducted five selective enforcement operations directed at unlicensed drivers. More than 300 citations were issued and 38 vehicles impounded.

The Commercial Enforcement Unit conducted 269 heavy vehicle inspections in 1996. The result was 170 vehicles taken out of service for various types of safety violations. The Major Accident Investigation Team was called upon to investigate 11 serious traffic accidents in 1996.

The Parking Enforcement Section consists of 21 parking checkers and is supervised by a traffic sergeant and two non-sworn supervisors. Parking checkers continue to strictly enforce parking violations. Section personnel helped develop the parking plan for the civil trial of O. J. Simpson which resulted in an adequate number of parking spaces and minimal traffic congestion.

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This page was last modified on 01/26/2008