A pair of homeless individuals were arrested this month for unrelated attacks on residents involving boxcutters.
Most recently, Elizabeth Watkins was arrested near St. Monica's Church on California Avenue after threatening a security staff member with a box cutter. Police said church staff were preparing for a community event around 9:38 a.m. when security asked Watkins to leave due to disruptive behavior. She produced the box cutter and made threats before officers located and arrested her nearby without further incident.
Watkins was booked on charges of assault with a deadly weapon and making criminal threats.
While no injuries were reported in that incident, an earlier road rage assault did result in hospitalization of the victim.
The attack occurred at 26th and Arizona when a pedestrian allegedly used a box cutter to cut a driver multiple times, causing non-life-threatening injuries. SMPD said bystanders held down the pedestrian until officers arrived. The victim was treated at the scene and transported to a hospital, while the suspect was arrested for assault with a deadly weapon.
The incidents represent part of broader interactions between police and Santa Monica's homeless population documented in the most recent police report on local activity.
According to last week’s “Blue Notebook” summary officers have also addressed quality-of-life complaints, including an indecent exposure incident in the 300 block of Marine Street where an unhoused man allegedly exposed himself to a resident's adult daughter. Police activated the Homeless Liaison Program and increased morning patrols in the area.
At Randy's Donuts, officers conducted outreach regarding ongoing disturbances caused by unhoused individuals, with Neighborhood Resource Officers reporting "significant improvement" following their intervention. Police plan to host a "Coffee with a Cop" event at the location.
The report also highlights successful interventions and services. On Aug. 7, officers connected a person experiencing homelessness with the SamoBridge program after contacting them for violating a city ordinance prohibiting sitting or lying on public sidewalks. The individual, homeless for several years, accepted housing assistance and was transported to the facility.
A Tongva Park operation on Aug. 6 resulted in one arrest for a registered sex offender violation, two park closure citations, and three individuals accepting SamoBridge program placement. Police reported that increased patrols have "significantly decreased" the number of people in the park during closure hours.
In another case, an officer helped an unhoused individual retrieve his impounded vehicle and later successfully connected him with SamoBridge services after initial assistance was declined.
Officers also conducted enforcement operations on I-10 freeway embankments, contacting two large encampments visible to drivers in the 1300 block. Three individuals were cited for public camping and instructed to leave. Police plan joint outreach and cleanup operations with the LA Homeless Outreach and Services Team.
The Bridge program is an emergency response for homelessness located at the Civic Center. SaMo Bridge offers an opportunity to connect with a professional resource navigator who will help connect individuals with the supportive services necessary to get on the path to permanent housing and rehabilitation. The facility is open to referrals from the police department and helps individuals start a 90-day case management plan. When a participant successfully completes their 90-day case management plan, any misdemeanor charges can be dismissed.