The Blue Notebook - A Weekly SMPD Recap - October 11-17, 2026

November 5, 2026 9:40 AM
by

On October 16, Santa Monica Police Department officers conducting a welfare check in the 2400 block of 4th Street found two adults deceased. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner subsequently determined that the husband died by suicide and the wife was the victim of homicide. Investigators determined the incident was isolated, with no indication of an ongoing threat to the community.

Beyond this investigation, SMPD maintained a high level of enforcement activity throughout the week, recording 98 arrests. Patrol and specialized units worked collaboratively to address domestic violence, weapons violations, narcotics activity, theft, burglary, wanted individuals, and recurring quality-of-life concerns.

These enforcement efforts were supported by continued work across the Department’s other public safety priorities. Traffic personnel addressed impaired driving, serious collision follow-up, commercial vehicle compliance, and neighborhood concerns, while the Homeless Liaison Program combined enforcement with outreach, shelter placement, family reunification assistance, and interagency coordination. The Department also remained engaged with the community through neighborhood meetings, business safety education, the Fall Community Academy, youth programming, and preparations for upcoming special events.

By the Numbers

· Year to date

o calls for service are 4.6% above the comparable 2025 period,

o arrests are 62.2% higher, and

o officer-initiated activity is up 20.2%.

Department Activity	Oct 11-17	2026 Year to Date	2025 Year to Date	+/- \| % change
Calls for service	2,318	102,494	97,979	+4,515 \| 4.6%
Arrests	98	4,306	2,654	+1,652 \| 62.2%
Officer-initiated activity	993 \| 43% of calls	47,641	39,627	+8,014 \| 20.2%
Resident-initiated calls	1,325 \| 57% of calls	54,853	58,352	-3,499 \| -6.0%

Crime Suppression

Crime suppression efforts focused on weapons, narcotics, theft, burglary, wanted individuals, and recurring activity in Downtown, Palisades Park, the Pico Neighborhood, and other high-call areas. Patrol, DSU, CIT, K9, the SMART Center, and regional partners coordinated enforcement, searches, and arrests.

Notable Incidents and Investigations

Notable Incident	Response and Outcome
Death Investigation Murder-Suicide 2400 Block of 4^th Street	Officers conducting a welfare check found a married couple deceased from gunshot wounds. The Medical Examiner determined the husband died by suicide and the wife was the victim of homicide. A firearm was recovered at the scene.
Domestic Violence Arrest 1300 Block of 4^th Street	Officers arrested a suspect after witnesses intervened when a woman was reportedly strangled and a bystander was attacked while attempting to help.
Stolen Vehicle Recovery 20^th and Idaho	Using SMART Center resources, officers located a stolen vehicle. The suspect was arrested at the scene.
Regional parole/probation compliance	SMPD’s Crime Impact Team joined a countywide parole and probation operation. Nine Santa Monica checks resulted in three felony arrests and recovery of a loaded, unregistered firearm, narcotics, and paraphernalia.
Felony Theft & Weapons Arrest 1300 Block of 3^rd Street Prom	SMART Center personnel located a theft suspect onto a Big Blue Bus. Officers recovered the stolen merchandise along with a concealed weapon, pepper spray, and drug paraphernalia.
Prowling & Parole Violation	Officers safely detained a suspect reported in the rear yard of an occupied residence and determined the individual was on parole for stalking.

Traffic Enforcement

Traffic safety efforts combined major-collision investigation, impaired-driving enforcement, commercial vehicle compliance, school outreach, visible patrol, and response to resident concerns. Motor officers focused on construction corridors, neighborhood complaints, Pacific Coast Highway, and Downtown Santa Monica.

Traffic Enforcement Activity

Traffic Stops	Citations	Advisals
253	139	110

Notable Traffic Activity

Incident Type	Description
Fatal Pedestrian Collision Update	A pedestrian critically injured in an October 2 collision in the 1300 block of Ocean Avenue died on October 11. The driver was arrested for felony DUI, and investigators are coordinating with prosecutors following the death.
Drug-impaired driving arrest	Officers responded to 34th Street and Pico Boulevard after a driver was reported asleep behind the wheel at an intersection. A DUI investigation resulted in an arrest.
Community-Input-based enforcement	Traffic personnel addressed concerns along Wilshire Boulevard, the 200-700 blocks of 26th Street, 21st Street and Marine Street, Pacific Coast Highway, and Downtown Santa Monica.

Homelessness Response

The Homeless Liaison Program combined directed deployments, enforcement, individualized outreach, shelter placement, family reunification assistance, and coordination with City and regional partners. Work focused on the beach, Virginia Avenue Park, Downtown, freeway embankments, and locations associated with recurring community concerns.

HLP Team Stats

Radio Calls	SAMO Bridge / Samoshel Referrals	HLP Self-Initiated Activity	Citations	Total Arrests	Encampments
175	6	153	26	13	8

Key Homeless Response Incidents

Activity or Incident	Response and Outcome
Shelter Placements	Sustained engagement helped two individuals who had previously declined services accept placements through SamoPalm and SamoShel.
Family Reunification Assistance	HLP connected an individual seeking to return to Illinois with the Salvation Army for Project Homecoming assistance.
Enforcement	Contacts at Downtown doorways, the beach, freeway embankments, Ocean Front Walk, Tongva Park, and other recurring locations resulted in arrests involving narcotics, paraphernalia, warrants, camping, and trespassing violations.

Community & Youth Engagement

Community and youth engagement emphasized neighborhood communication, employee and business preparedness, public-safety education, youth programming, and visible follow-up on resident concerns.

Activity	Response and Community Benefit
School traffic-safety education	Motor officers and School Resource Officers delivered a traffic-safety presentation to transitional-kindergarten students at the Village School's temporary Colorado Center campus.
Neighborhood Meetings	Personnel participated in Virginia Avenue Park, Ocean Park Association, and Friends of Sunset Park meetings, sharing crime information and addressing safety, theft-prevention, reporting, and quality-of-life concerns.
Palisades Park security coordination	Community Engagement Team personnel joined the Police Chief and City Manager for a meeting regarding recent burglaries at a property outside Santa Monica's jurisdiction and discussed opportunities to strengthen security in the adjacent Palisades Park area.
Business safety education	A Neighborhood Resource Officer met with Santa Monica Pier arcade employees to discuss de-escalation, employee awareness, timely reporting, and situations requiring police intervention.
Animals affected by owner deaths	Animal Control impounded 13 cats after an owner died and six cats from the 4th Street death investigation. The animals received care, and placement or adoption processes were initiated with next of kin and rescue partners.