By Lookout Staff

January 27, 2026 -- There has been a marked increase in the number of criminal cases taken up by the City Attorney's office, according to data released by Councilmember Lana Negrete on Monday.

In her weekly newsletter, Negrete also noted that police deployment Downtown has stabilized and seven new officers have been sworn in.

Last month, referrals to the Criminal Division increased 40 percent compared to December 2024, indicating that "City Attorney follow-through (is) strengthening," Negrete wrote.

In the fourth quarter of last year, the City Attorney's Office "filed on approximately 88 percent of all fileable cases -- up from roughly 65 to 70 percent previously," Negrete reported.

The former mayor said she has been working on the issue for two and a half years, adding that "enforcement without follow-through doesn't work."

In addition, as of January 11, the Downtown Services Unit (DSU) "now consistently deploys 7 to 11 officers per day within the downtown core."

"That staffing stability allows officers to maintain presence, recognize patterns, and intervene earlier," Negrete said.

DSU officers have averaged more than 40 arrests a week Downtown, "with particular impact on retail theft and narcotics enforcement."

On Wednesday, seven new officers joined the force, marking what Negrete called "another tangible step in our Realignment Plan to strengthen public safety and build department capacity."

Approved by the Council in October, the Realignment Plan calls for opening a new police substation at Santa Monica Place Mall, deploying as many as 28 officers at the beach, Pier and Downtown and moving the homeless shelter out of the City's center.

The plan initiated by City Manager Oliver Chi also addresses the City's long entrenched homeless problem by aggressively prosecutes misdemeanor crimes, while providing an alternative to jail that offers services and transitional housing.