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# Police Chief James Butts Jr. to step down this summer for airport security post
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/053006-story-20060530/
- Published: 2006-05-30T15:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-23T18:07:09.000Z
- Author: Guest Author
- Tags: Government & Politics, Pico, #archive-import, Homelessness

Santa Monica Police Chief James T. Butts Jr. announced that he is stepping down from his post this summer, having accepted a position to head up security for four Los Angeles County airports. While reports continue to show a decline in crime rates during his tenure, no city is without its problems. Pico violence. Petty theft. Street hustles. Recurring homelessness. Drug use.

The city is expected to launch a national search next month in the hopes of having a timely replacement to spell Butts.

So this week, Q-Line wants to know: What advice would you give the city’s new chief of police? What areas or issues would you like the new chief to focus on initially?

Call (310) 285-8106 before Friday at 5 p.m. and we’ll print your responses in the weekend edition.

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on May 30, 2006.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/053006.pdf?ref=smdp.com)