By Jorge Casuso

August 2, 2024 -- The quick arrest of a suspect in the kidnapping of a four-year-old girl from a restaurant in Santa Monica made international news last month.

But Santa Monica police officers made other noteworthy arrests that went under the radar, including busting a drug dealer who was seen lighting a palm frond on fire.

Crime watchers can now access other notable arrests -- there were 52 that week, 20 of them for felonies -- on a new weekly/bi-weekly blog on the City's website titled "The Blue Notebook."

The site also notes the number of calls for service -- there were 2,759 that week, 532 of them homeless-related, with 42 involving encampments.

In addition, blog breaks down activity involving the Homeless Liaison Program (HLP) Team, which made a sweep of the bike path by the Expo line at Centinela and "continued periodic checks behind the Churchill Gym" for encampments that pop up.

Also that week, HLP Officer Samuel talked a homeless woman, who has been living in the Downtown area for almost a year, into participating in the LA County Pathway Home program.

Samuel drove the woman to the program after "repeated outreach efforts and the building of rapport with her over time," according to the blog post.

In addition to the HLP team, the first Blue Notebook post, launched on August 1, highlights the activities of SMPD's Directed Action Response Team (Dart), which includes code enforcement officers, Fire Department personnel and Public Works.

The weekly blog also has a rundown of the department's community relations efforts, which include meetings with business owners and Neighborhood Watch groups.

The blog's account of a notable arrest overshadowed by the highly-publicized kidnapping of the girl that same week took place on July 15.

"At approximately 7:47 PM, officers observed a subject lighting a palm frond on fire in the 800 block of Wilshire Blvd," wrote Lt. Erika Aklufi, who authored the blog.

"Officers contacted the subject and determined he had a No Bail warrant," Aklufi said. "The subject was taken into custody."

During a search, officers discovered 12.8 pounds of Psilocybin, 44 grams of Methamphetamine, three 9mm rounds of ammunition, narcotics paraphernalia, a key fob to a Toyota, a check book not belonging to him, and various cards and papers."

"The subject was arrested for various narcotics-related offenses, theft, felon in possession of ammunition, and the No Bail warrant," Aklufi wrote.

Two hours and 20 minutes later, "officers responded to a call regarding someone who had jumped off the pier."

To read what happened, visit The Blue Notebook.