Santa Monica Police Chief Ramón Batista submitted a letter of resignation on Friday, August 22, after nearly four years leading SMPD. His resignation will take effect on October 4.
The announcement surprised Santa Monica leaders, including Mayor Lana Negrete. Fox 11 reports there were two letters — one sent to the public and another to the city. The city’s version contained the following line, which alludes to the chief’s reason for leaving:
“As I step aside, I do so recognizing that my nearly 40 years of experience in public safety and policing, my deeply held sense of justice, and following not only the spirit, but the letter of the law, appear to be at odds from demands from the new administration.”
Four new members were elected to the Santa Monica City Council last year, and Negrete became the new mayor. Oliver Chi assumed the city manager’s position in July.
The shakeup has already had repercussions. Two weeks after Chi’s appointment, the City Council fired all six members of the Downtown Santa Monica Board, “replacing primarily business-oriented members with activists with ties to the city’s newly elected politicians,” according to Los Angeles Magazine.
The new majority has been accused of executing a power grab. In a public letter written by the Santa Monica Coalition for Livable Cities last week, they were also accused of shutting out public participation on major development decisions.
Former Santa Monica Mayor Phil Brock has speculated that Batista was forced out of the role by Chi's administration.
“Now the question would be, did the new city manager in Santa Monica want someone tougher on crime?” said Brock. “Or in relation to the new city council, did they want someone more ‘woke?’ I don’t know the answer to that yet."
Batista was appointed nearly four years ago with the support of the Santa Monica Police Officers Assn. He was the city’s first Latino chief of police. Batista is a popular leader within the department, and he has managed to boost anemic staffing levels. SMPD increased its ranks from 177 working police officers in October 2021 to 231 today.
The city has not yet outlined its plans for a permanent replacement. In the interim, Santa Monica’s deputy police chief Darrick Jacob will assume the acting role.
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