Santa Monica police made 2,656 arrests through Saturday, July 4, up from 1,563 during the same period in 2025, a jump of nearly 70%, according to the department's latest Blue Notebook report.
Officer-initiated activity rose 27.5% year over year, while calls generated by residents fell 4%, suggesting the increase is driven more by proactive policing than by rising crime reports.
The department has not publicly explained what is behind the increase. Acting Chief Darrick Jacob, who took over in October 2025 after former Chief Ramón Batista resigned, has not publicly addressed the surge. The Santa Monica Wave was unable to reach SMPD for comment.
A consistent trend all year
The arrest spike is not a one-week anomaly. SMPD's own weekly reports show the year-over-year increase hovering between 70% and 72% since at least early June:
- Through June 6: 2,281 arrests, up 71.8% from 1,328
- Through June 20: 2,466 arrests, up 71.4% from 1,439
- Through June 27: 2,558 arrests, up 70.5% from 1,500
- Through July 4: 2,656 arrests, up 69.9% from 1,563
At that pace, the department is on track to far exceed the 2,800 total arrests it recorded in all of 2024, according to department figures cited in Batista's August 2025 resignation announcement.
Leadership context
Batista, Santa Monica's first Latino police chief, resigned in August 2025, writing in his resignation letter that "my nearly 40 years of experience in public safety and policing, my deeply held sense of justice, and following not only the spirit, but the letter of the law, appear to be at odds from demands set by the new administration." Jacob, a 20-plus-year department veteran, has led SMPD since October 2025.
The city has not announced a permanent chief.
Fourth of July week in detail
During the week of June 28 through July 4, officers handled 2,426 calls for service and made 98 arrests, up from 2,301 calls and 92 arrests the prior week. About 43% of the week's activity was officer-initiated, which the Blue Notebook report attributed to "sustained proactive enforcement during a period of heightened community events and visitor activity."
Several arrests that week illustrate the range of enforcement:
At Lot 5 South, officers responding to a vehicle disturbance found a convicted felon carrying a firearm in his waistband. They also recovered ammunition, fentanyl, oxycodone, suspected cocaine, marijuana, scales, and packaging materials, according to the report.
On Ocean Front Walk, a victim with significant facial injuries reported being attacked with a crowbar. Pier cameras captured three suspects; about an hour later, officers detained one person who police said admitted involvement. Two suspects remained at large.
On La Mesa Drive, a resident's security camera alerted them to someone inside their pool house. Officers found the person sleeping inside; police said the suspect admitted climbing over a wall and using the shower. The person was arrested on suspicion of burglary.
Homeless outreach and joint operations
The department's Homeless Liaison Program made 17 arrests and issued 27 citations during the Fourth of July week while responding to 200 radio calls. A joint operation with the Crime Impact Team and Los Angeles County Probation resulted in six arrests and two citations, including people accused of violating sex offender registration requirements and parole conditions.
In a separate contact, officers stopped a person for a doorway violation who gave a false name. Police later determined the individual had a $200,000 felony assault warrant and was on both probation and parole.
Mayor Caroline Torosis is scheduled to deliver the State of the City address Thursday, July 23, at a free event on Main Street between Hollister Avenue and Ocean Park Boulevard from 4 to 7 p.m.
