Santa Monica Police Department reported a 2% decrease in serious Part I crimes in 2024 while Part II crimes increased 16%, according to the department's annual report presented to the City Council on Tuesday and Santa Monica Police Chief Ramon Batista said homelessness remains the most consistent factor in local law enforcement.
The department recorded 4,840 Part I crimes in 2024, down 77 incidents from 4,917 in 2023. Part I crimes include the most serious offenses such as murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny, grand theft auto and arson.
Part II crimes, which include weapons violations, narcotics offenses and disorderly conduct, totaled 4,080 incidents in 2024, an increase of 574 cases from the previous year.
Batista said the decrease in serious crimes was significant given regional challenges related to homelessness and staffing constraints.
"This reduction reflects the effectiveness of our personnel deployment and targeted crime prevention efforts," Batista said during the presentation.
Chief Batista emphasized homelessness as a central factor in local crime trends, noting that homeless suspects now accounted for 70% of all arrests. The department responded to nearly 24,000 homeless-related calls for service, representing 19% of total calls.
Batista highlighted the prevalence of weapon possession among homeless individuals, describing it as both a perceived self-protection measure and a serious risk to the community.
He said the danger has become lethal in several cases, including the death of suspect who was shot outside police headquarters after trying to kill an officer with a knife recently stolen from a nearby store.
According to Batista, about 150 people enter the city via public transit each night and the influx continues, despite efforts by Metro to control access at the downtown train station.
“My most recent assessment has shown that it's not working, that we need to go back to the drawing board, have more conversations with them about what we can do to address these issues,” he said while noting that Metro’s process pushes individuals out into the community with no support, many of whom are later discovered to have criminal records or warrants.
While overall violent crime decreased last year, murder cases increased from one incident in 2023 to six in 2024, while rape cases remained relatively stable at 45 incidents compared to 48 the previous year. Robberies dropped significantly by 25% to 182 cases, and aggravated assaults decreased 2.2% to 394 incidents.
Auto thefts declined for the first time in years, falling 16% to 479 cases. However, burglaries increased 14% to 744 cases, driven mainly by a 17% increase in residential burglaries. Larceny remained the most reported crime category at 2,927 incidents, staying stable year-over-year.
Arson incidents decreased 21% from 80 cases in 2023 to 63 in 2024.
The department noted a continuing concern with edged weapon assaults, which totaled 74 incidents involving knives in 2024.
According to the report, the department's specialized units showed significant activity throughout 2024. The Directed Action Response Team (DART) handled 3,045 calls for service, averaging 254 per month, and addressed 430 encampments while making 349 arrests.
The Crime Impact Team, relaunched in August 2024, conducted 817 self-initiated activities and made 209 arrests — 117 felonies and 92 misdemeanors — in just eight months of operation.
The Homeless Liaison Program expanded from four to seven days per week, responding to 4,541 calls for service and addressing 335 encampments. The team conducted 237 mental health evaluations and placed 161 individuals on psychiatric holds.
Downtown Services Unit officers conducted more than 150 specialized operations targeting retail theft, working with store partners to implement security improvements.
Batista said the department made substantial technology investments in 2024, transitioning to a new records management system in May, replacing a 35-year-old system. The upgrade allows for better data integration and faster reporting while supporting the new National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) for more comprehensive crime data collection.
The department's Drone as a First Responder program conducted 1,551 flights and handled 1,898 calls, with 81.3% of incidents resolved without dispatching patrol units. The program cleared 167 cases through aerial surveillance alone.
Santa Monica received a $6.1 million state grant to develop a state-of-the-art SMART Center, which will integrate video, vehicle data, drone footage and emergency call information. The center is expected to launch in late summer or early fall 2025.
Staffing has been a perennial concern but the department hired 12 new officers in 2024 and has already hired 13 officers in the first five months of 2025. Monthly applications increased 66% from 120 to 200 after implementing Interview Now technology and joining the National Testing Network.
Since 2021, 25% of the department's 73 new sworn officers have been women, bringing total female representation to 15% of sworn personnel, above the national average of 11-12%.
Calls for service increased 25% to 128,820 in 2024, with 51,616 officer-initiated calls reflecting increased proactive patrol activity.