By Jorge Casuso
February 27 – Tough economic times have triggered a crime wave in Downtown Santa Monica that has seen shoplifting and theft reach perhaps record levels in January, Police Chief Tim Jackman told the Bayside District Board Thursday night.
But a redoubled effort by police seems to be curbing the trend, Jackman told the first meeting of the new board reconfigured under the Property Based Assessment District (PBAD) approved by Downtown property owners last year.
“We’ve seen a lot more shoplifting, auto burglary and theft,” Jackman said. “In January, it was going through the roof. It was unbelievable how much crime was happening.
“This happens during a bad economy,” the chief said. “The economy is bad, and it’s getting worse.”
Although some of the vehicle break-ins and theft are taking place in the Downtown public parking structures, most of the crime is happening on the streets between Colorado and California avenues and Lincoln Boulevard and the beach, Jackman said.
Jackman noted that public safety is critical if shoppers are to continue frequenting Downtown, which is Santa Monica’s prime economic engine. He noted that the 1998 murder of a German tourist whose last assailant was arrested this month, sent the local tourist economy into a tailspin a decade ago.
“The economic vitality is tied to public safety,” Jackman said. “If we have safety issues, we’re going to be impacted.”
Jackman noted that the department plans to keep the four police officers and nine community service officers currently dedicated to the Downtown, but cautioned that City budget cutbacks would trim the overtime hours used to deploy additional officers to the busy area.
“We must reduce some staffing,” Jackman told the board.
But he added that overtime officers would be deployed during the busiest times. “We will put enough resources to make sure the Downtown is safe,” Jackman said.
On another note, Jackman said the noise problem that was “getting out of hand” has been brought under control under a new police strategy.
Instead of deploying uniformed officers armed with decibel readers to nab loud street performers, the department is sending the officers undercover.
“They (the performers) don’t get advance notice,” Jackman said. “What we’re looking at is compliance, which we’re getting.”
