Community, Diversity, Sustainability and other Overused Words
Community, Diversity, Sustainability and other Overused Words
The daily arrest log was interrupted from May 1 to June 12 in order to switch to a new records management system
It is unknown when the new, automated arrest log system will be operational
June 26, 2024 - The Santa Monica Police Department has once again put online for public viewing their daily arrest log. In the past, SMPD daily arrests were reported automatically in the City's Open Data Portal and were available for two weeks. But on May 1, the department switched to a new records management system, and the arrest reports were temporarily discontinued, according the SMPD spokesperson Lieutenant Erika Aklufi. "We lost several automated reports during the switchover including the arrest report," she wrote in an email request for information.
Arrest reports are still not yet being made via the upcoming new automated system. Instead, starting June 12, they are being input manually. "We are still working with the City's ISD and our outside vendor," Aklufi wrote in an email. She said the department will continue posting the reports manually every weekday. Weekend reports will be posted on Monday. She does not know when the new automated system will be up and running. Meanwhile, there may be sporadic delays in daily postings.
Aklufi wrote the department had expected to lose reporting ability "but did not anticipate how difficult it would be to get the new reports functioning. When we realized the daily arrest report would be delayed beyond our original estimate, we decided to issue them manually. "
City Manager David White wrote in an email that, "I appreciate our Department for their commitment to transparency as they work to transition to new electronic systems. It has been a heavy lift for our Police Department but they are working through it and they should be commended."
Variety of crime statistics and other assistance availble on the "Crime Reports and Statistics" webpage
The revised website address is https://santamonica.gov/topic-explainers/crime-reports-and-statistics
A link from there titled "Daily Arrest Report" will take you to the daily log of actual arrests. Another link titled "Calls for Service Report" is also available, including all of the calls to which police responded, few of which end in arrests.
If arrest logs are desired from the period in which the SMPD was not posting them, a Public Records Request needs to be filed. The arrest daily reports have typically been made available on the website for a two-week period. Any arrest reports prior to those two weeks require a Public Records Request.
Reader Comments(1)
John writes:
Crime statistics are just like the homeless statistics that will come out this week. When police stop arresting and documenting crime, the numbers of crime incidents decrease. Police do this because the pathetic district attorney (gascon-please vote him out) told cities and police that he would not charge criminals and just release criminals if arrested. So police see no point. They need victory arrests for their promotions. When police do not interact, document, and report these non-jailable criminals, crime magically goes down. Because they aren’t counting. Similarly, homeless counters have been explicitly directed not to count homeless this year. So magically if homeless are not counted, the amount will go down. These false numbers will be released this week. Meanwhile David White the Santa Monica city manager is making $400k+ other benefits and destroying Santa Monica. We taxpayers are paying someone to ruin this place. Why?
06/26/2024, 7:11 pm