Tonight City Council will consider City Manager Oliver Chi's suggested adjustments in Item 11c- Realignment Plan update. Chi's report highlights several keys points including the Police Department being at full officer staffing for the first time in over 20 years. It also touches on an expansion in the Traffic Enforcement unit and a sharp increase in traffic enforcement activities. These were notable because the city has seen a 12% drop in crime and a reduction in serious injury and fatal traffic accidents for the first time in years, save the anomaly of the covid years.
When City Manager Chi assumed his role, the City was is negotiations with all of the labor groups, many of which were either stuck or slowly moving along. Chi hit the ground running, talking and most importantly, listening. He listened not only to the labor groups but also to the businesses, Council, and the community and neighborhood groups. Many groups were worn down and found it difficult to shift their stance.
Chi heard what people told him, he quickly established contracts for the labor groups, and articulated a plan for businesses and the downtown area. Chi adopted Council's vision of a revitalized Santa Monica and connected with the community to offer a vision of the City that seemed obtainable while attempting to solve most of the pressing issues. No small feat in a politicly active city like Santa Monica.
In the Police Department many of these gains have come under the new Chief Darrick Jacob and he deserves considerable credit but it's no surprise to the POA, that when officers have a fair contract, the Department is fully staffed, and officers are supported while doing police work, including traffic stops; we see exactly what you would expect- a decrease crime and a fewer serious injury and fatal traffic accidents.
Chief Jacob has refocused on partnerships, policing and people. Building on the internal procedural justice he has already put in place by finalizing the promotional process, focusing on assignments, while also addressing deployments for major events are ongoing challenges. Continuing to work with the POA to find solutions to these complex issues will ensure continued success with lower crime and high moral.
Chi's job is even more difficult, building coalitions is hard but keeping them together is even harder! Chi will have to build on the successes we have had. He has succeeded in getting people who see the City through different paradigms to mutually agree on a path forward. He has mapped out a plan to address our most immediate concerns and articulated a vision to make Santa Monica a City where everyone can see themselves working, going out to dinner and events, and raising their families- with some work ahead, of course.
The Realignment Plan is a roadmap laid out in front of us, as difficult as some of it will be. What Chi has showed is the realignment is more about how we realign with each other than how we realign with the challenges. And so far, it has shown early promise.
Cody Green
Santa Monica Police Officers Association- Chairman