The Third Street Promenade: Is it a Fun, Safe Place for Families or Overrun by Crime and Human Degradation?

In response to Santa Monica Mayor Phil Brock uploading to Instagram a promotional video featuring the Third Street Promenade in rose-colored terms, John Alle wrote the following regrading what he and the Santa Monica Coalition he co-founded see as the ongoing and very real problems in the Santa Monica downtown area. His remarks have been edited for length. He also provided the photos, which were date and time stamped as we have recorded here.

What you [Phil Brock] conveyed in your video does not reflect the ongoing economic losses and several more pending closings that current businesses are experiencing and tell us about. This is resulting in drastic cuts to our City's sales and Hotel Transient Occupancy Tax revenues that fund our Police, Fire, Paramedic and basic services we rely upon.

Shop owners and their employees, hotels and their employees and guests, City Maintenance workers, and the few residents (even the homeless) who visit the Promenade and Downtown are experiencing sexual and other physical assaults, robberies, and car damage. My phone is full of text messages all hours of the day and night describing these incidents.

John Alle

May 25, 2024 8:11 am (a Saturday). It is doubtful anyone will use the chairs installed as an part of the street improvements to Santa Monica Boulevard.

90% of retailers from Ocean Avenue to 6th Street, and Wilshire to Colorado, were surveyed on 3 occasions between last September and this last March. They are victims of walk-in theft and assault 15 to 20 times a month, some even say once an hour, from transient addicts, and mentally ill who act upon their crazy delusions inside and outside the stores and boutiques. Your video did not show a single visitor on the Promenade holding any shopping bags. Your City Staff confirms that less than 15% of residents do not shop, dine or visit DOWNTOWN SANTA MONICA for fear of risking their lives and compromising their safety.

John Alle

May 22, 2024 1:00 pm. Clearance sale - come buy it before it gets stolen

We also were on the Promenade the same day you aired your 'Brock on the Clock' promotional video, as well as yesterday from 11 AM to 1 PM, and from 3 PM to 5:30 PM.

What we saw - -

* An addict overdosed on the steps of the AMC Theater, in the visual range of those seated at the Coffee Bean and Stefano's Pizzeria near Arizona Ave.

* A junkie and professional thief adjacent to the Footlocker Store entry, openly selling items at discount prices he bragged about stealing the same day

* A drunk passed out and blocking the alleyway leading to one of the Parking Garages

John Alle

June 5, 2024 8:55 am. Part of the Promenade's welcome to visitors

* A fight in front of the Sand 'n Surf Gift Shop on the 1300 block of the Promenade

* Another fight and drug deal in front of the outdoor seating at 1212 Restaurant near Wilshire

* A smashed glass entry door at Lids hat shop on the 1400 Block of the Promenade

* Numerous 'Going out of Business' related signs in front of numerous stores, including the Jewel Shop, in the same building where DTSM, Inc. is located

* 'Business Closed' and 'For Lease' signs on empty buildings that formerly housed REI, T-Mobile (directly across from Apple), Swish, Blenders, Champs Sports, Cotton On, Gap, Wetzel's Pretzels, Bubar's Jewelers, and Forever 21, to name only a few.

John Alle

June 5, 2024 1:46 pm. Tagging on the Patagonia Store Building as 2 Legion Private Security guards and 1 DTSM Ambassador passed by

* Tagging at 4 pm on the Patagonia Store Building as 2 Legion Private Security guards and 1 DTSM Ambassador passed by

* Regularly smashed vehicle windows and slashed tires alongside buildings and in the Parking Garages.

This last Saturday, there was a sexual assault midday, just steps away from the Farmers Market on Arizona Ave, alongside the Promenade Just weeks ago there were stabbings and two overdoses in our Promenade Parking Garages and alleyways leading to the parking.

All of us love McConnell's Fine Ice Creams on the Promenade near Broadway where you posed, But right next door our beloved Cult Restaurant closed. It was owned by a DTSM Board Member. He cited "safety concerns", break-ins and declining business as reasons for closing.

John Alle

June 1, 2024, 5 pm. Trash and a used needle

Mayor Brock, put your differences aside with City Manager David White, and come up with trade-offs to budget for more sworn Police Officers the Chief has requested. That's one of the main reasons we voted for you. Defenseless private security selected by the City and paid for by Downtown property owners, and "Ambassadors", are not solving the problem. And reinstate the "Daily Arrest Logs" that were suddenly removed. Stand up to our failed City Manager David White, and meet directly with Police Chief Ramon Batista, whether City Manager David White grants you permission or not. You were elected almost 4 years ago. He was appointed 3 years ago, and should be fired.

Residents and businesses in SANTA MONICA are the highest taxed in the nation. Protection of life and property is your primary responsibility. UNTIL SANTA MONICA is safe, the city will not flourish, regardless of its beachside location. SANTA MONICA's Police Dept. should not have to rely on successful applications for State and Federal Grants to fund their operations, which may not be around for much longer.

John Alle

June 5, 2024, 6:28 am. Passed out on the 'improved' Santa Monica Boulevard

SANTA MONICA now has one of the highest crime rates in America compared to all communities of all sizes - - from the smallest towns to the very largest cities. One's chance of becoming a victim of either violent or property crime here is one in 19...and even higher on our 3rd Street Promenade and in our Parks. I know so personally, as I was a victim in Palisades Park at 3 pm on a sunny Tuesday afternoon, and barely survived death.