> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.smdp.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Crime drops 9 percent - URL: https://www.smdp.com/crime-drops-9-percent/ - Published: 2005-07-08T15:00:00.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-23T07:23:04.000Z - Author: Ryan Hyatt - Tags: Crime, Santa Monica, #archive-import, Homeless *Police say success stems from reorganization* POLICE HQTRS. — Crime in Santa Monica dropped 9 percent last year, marking a decline in the past 10 of 11 years, according to crime statistics released on Thursday. “At this point, we are competing with ourselves,” said Police Chief James T. Butts Jr., remarking on the continuous drop in crime and the goals his staff will strive for in light of it. In 2004, personal crimes — including homicide, rape, robbery and aggravated assault — totaled 557, two more than in 2003. There were two homicides in 2004, the same as in 2003. The number of rapes for the same period was up from 21 to 29, an increase of 38 percent. Butts said the majority of these sexual assaults were committed by acquaintances of the victims. Some of the victims were also women living among the homeless population on the streets, which might make them more vulnerable to such crimes. There were two more robberies in 2004 than in 2003, up from 242 to 244\. Aggravated assaults were down 3 percent, from 290 to 282. Crimes to property — including burglary, larceny, auto theft and arson — decreased from 3,946 in 2003 to 3,551 in 2004, a reduction of 10 percent. Arson saw the biggest decrease, dropping from 50 to 13, or 74 percent. There were 2 percent fewer burglaries, which decreased from 769 to 752 reported incidents. The number of thefts dropped from 2,715 incidents in 2003 to 2,368 reported in 2004, a reduction of 13 percent. Auto theft also decreased from 462 cases in the same period to 418, a reduction of 10 percent. Butts said as of this year, 52 percent of aggravated assaults, 39 percent of robberies and 17 percent of burglaries have seen an arrest. Arrests for other crimes were not available. Burglars are one of the hardest types of criminals to catch, Butts said. “If they don’t leave fingerprints, and there aren’t any witnesses, burglaries can be tough to prove, unless the suspect confesses,” Butts said. “We might catch the suspect for one burglary, but he may have done many more.” CRIME-REDUCTION TACTICS Butts attributes the success of the police department to the organizational structure he has been putting in place since crime peaked in Santa Monica in 1993\. “There has been an active role in providing strong leadership and organization,” Butts said. The police department, with 214 officers, polices a daily population in Santa Monica that fluctuates between 175,000 and 200,000. To reduce crime, the police have made better outreach efforts in surrounding communities, but also rely on the community to inform law enforcement of problem areas, said Butts. In the past, the police department focused its crime-reduction efforts on areas known for their high concentrations of drug deals. Undercover units were organized to undertake “reverse stings”: The cops would bust drug dealers for selling narcotics; then, the cops would bust the buyers. “It dried up narcotic sales and gave dealers the message,” Butts said. Still an issue for the SMPD is gang violence in the community, which is still occurring in the Pico neighborhood. Butts said the department is combating that by tracking parolees and a model he created called Neighborhood-Centered Policing, which places lieutenants in specific sections of the city to deal with residents one-on-one. “We have a close synthesis with the community,” Butts added. “If people don’t tell us what they are seeing, we don’t get the info.” > “We have a close synthesis with the community. If people don’t tell us what they are seeing, we don’t get the info.” — JAMES T. BUTTS JR. Santa Monica Police Chief OTHER IMPROVEMENTS The Santa Monica police operate a full-service department, in that the organization manages the majority of its law enforcement operations. DNA testing is one detective-related service the department contracts to others. The Santa Monica police operate one of the highest-ranked police departments in the country, with officers who are among the higher paid in the state, according to Butts. Salaries start at $48,000, and after five years officers can earn upward of $75,000. Officers can earn more with overtime, which is how the department often pays for extra policing needed during peak times. As crime in Santa Monica continues to be reduced under his leadership, Butts said the department has also maintained its level of professionalism over the past decade — a distinction other law enforcement agencies cannot always make. “In the interest of bringing crime down, we have not sacrificed our level of service,” said Butts, explaining that more complaints are sometimes common among police agencies that attempt to aggressively fight crime. Santa Monica police are on track to have a record low in the number of complaints received about their service. There were 68 complaints in 2004, 16 so far this year, with zero reported in June. *Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on July 8, 2005.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/070805.pdf?ref=smdp.com)