Police Rosters + Photos (Santa Monica Police Department)

Dear Joey Scott:

Thank you for your interest in public records of The City of Santa Monica Police Department. Your request has been received and is being processed in accordance with California Government Code, Section 6253(c). Your request was received in this office on 12/5/2024 and given the reference number P032140-120524 for tracking purposes. Records Requested: To Whom It May Concern:

Pursuant to the California Public Records Act, I hereby request the following records:

Hello,

The roster of sworn police officers from 2016 - 2024
Names, badge numbers, serial numbers, division/station, sworn status.

The department's headshot photos of all of the same officers are referenced above. Duplicates from each year do not need to be completed. At a minimum, photos for 2023 - 2024 should be included.

Precedent: Santa Ana Police Department and LAPD have released their photos. A reminder that nothing in California Penal Code 832.7 mentions photographs in personnel records are kept confidential. Not only that, but videos and pictures of officers are regularly shared on social media.
https://www.courthousenews.com/judge-tosses-las-second-lawsuit-against-journalist-over-police-headshots/
https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2024-11-13/city-of-la-officers-city

The requested documents will be made available to the general public, and this request is not being made for commercial purposes.

In the event that there are fees, I would be grateful if you would inform me of the total charges in advance of fulfilling my request. I would prefer the request filled electronically, by e-mail attachment if available or CD-ROM if not.

Thank you in advance for your anticipated cooperation in this matter. I look forward to receiving your response to this request within 10 calendar days, as the statute requires.

Sincerely,

Joey Scott

Upload documents directly: https://www.muckrock.com/
Your request will be forwarded to the relevant department(s) to locate the information you seek and to determine the volume and any costs associated with satisfying your request.You will be contacted within the next 10 calendar days about the availability and/or provided with copies of the records in question. PLEASE NOTE: The California Government Code, Section 6253(c) does not require a governmental body to create new information, to do legal research, or to answer questions.
You can monitor the progress of your request at the link below and you'll receive an email when your request has been completed. Again, thank you for using the Public Records Center.

Santa Monica Police Department

--- Please respond above this line ---

December 11, 2024
Joey Scott
MuckRock News, DEPT MR177172 263 Huntington Ave
Boston MA 02115
RE: PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST of December 05, 2024, Reference # P032140-120524
Dear Joey Scott,

The Santa Monica Police Department ("SMPD") received a public records request from you on December 05, 2024. Pursuant to Government Code section 6253, subdivision (c), we require an additional 14 days to respond to your request due to the following circumstance(s): The need for consultation, which shall be conducted with all practicable speed, among two or more components of the City having substantial subject matter interest therein.

SMPD anticipates that it will respond to your public records request on December 30, 2024. We appreciate your patience.

If you need assistance clarifying the records that you seek, please reply to this email communication.

Sincerely,

Ida Singh
Police Records Technician
Police_Records

--- Please respond above this line ---

December 31, 2024
RE: PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST of December 05, 2024., Reference # P032140-120524.
Dear Joey Scott,
The City of Santa Monica received a public information request from you on December 05, 2024. Your request mentioned: "To Whom It May Concern:

Pursuant to the California Public Records Act, I hereby request the following records:

Hello,

The roster of sworn police officers from 2016 - 2024
Names, badge numbers, serial numbers, division/station, sworn status.

The department's headshot photos of all of the same officers are referenced above. Duplicates from each year do not need to be completed. At a minimum, photos for 2023 - 2024 should be included.

Precedent: Santa Ana Police Department and LAPD have released their photos. A reminder that nothing in California Penal Code 832.7 mentions photographs in personnel records are kept confidential. Not only that, but videos and pictures of officers are regularly shared on social media.
https://www.courthousenews.com/judge-tosses-las-second-lawsuit-against-journalist-over-police-headshots/
https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2024-11-13/city-of-la-officers-city

The requested documents will be made available to the general public, and this request is not being made for commercial purposes.

In the event that there are fees, I would be grateful if you would inform me of the total charges in advance of fulfilling my request. I would prefer the request filled electronically, by e-mail attachment if available or CD-ROM if not.

Thank you in advance for your anticipated cooperation in this matter. I look forward to receiving your response to this request within 10 calendar days, as the statute requires.

Sincerely,

Joey Scott

Upload documents directly: https://www.muckrock.com/
We have located responses records; however, we need additional time to continue to gather records as well as review records for redactions and legal exemptions.  You can expect our next response in approximately six weeks from the date of this request.  It is likely this request will be provided in a rolling production.
Thank you for your patience and cooperation.
Sincerely,
Police Records

--- Please respond above this line ---
February 10, 2025 Joey Scott
MuckRock News, DEPT MR177172 263 Huntington Ave
Boston MA 02115 RE: PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST of December 05, 2024, Reference # P032140-120524
Dear Joey Scott,

The Santa Monica Police Department ("SMPD") received a public records request from you on December 05, 2024. You requested the following:
"To Whom It May Concern:

Pursuant to the California Public Records Act, I hereby request the following records:
Hello,

The roster of sworn police officers from 2016 - 2024
Names, badge numbers, serial numbers, division/station, sworn status.

The department's headshot photos of all of the same officers are referenced above. Duplicates from each year do not need to be completed. At a minimum, photos for 2023 - 2024 should be included.

Precedent: Santa Ana Police Department and LAPD have released their photos. A reminder that nothing in California Penal Code 832.7 mentions photographs in personnel records are kept confidential. Not only that, but videos and pictures of officers are regularly shared on social media.
https://www.courthousenews.com/judge-tosses-las-second-lawsuit-against-journalist-over-police-headshots/
https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2024-11-13/city-of-la-officers-city

The requested documents will be made available to the general public, and this request is not being made for commercial purposes.

In the event that there are fees, I would be grateful if you would inform me of the total charges in advance of fulfilling my request. I would prefer the request filled electronically, by e-mail attachment if available or CD-ROM if not.

Thank you in advance for your anticipated cooperation in this matter. I look forward to receiving your response to this request within 10 calendar days, as the statute requires.

Sincerely,

Joey Scott

Upload documents directly: https://www.muckrock.com/ With this letter, the City is releasing the non-exempt officer list from 2016-2024, and non-exempt photographs of all current sworn officers of the Santa Monica Police Department.  Please log into the GovQA system at the following link to retrieve the appropriate responsive documents.
Police Department - P032140-120524

We have withheld the names and photographs of undercover officers or officers who require anonymity that are employed by the City of Santa Monica’s Police Department (“SMPD”). Further, we have withheld photographs of officers who requested to remain confidential based on specific facts and information provided that the release could jeopardize their safety and or the safety of their family.   The Act recognizes that certain records should not, for reasons of privacy, safety, and efficient governmental operation, be made public. ( Haynie v. Superior Court (2001) 26 Cal.4th 1061.) We have determined that, on the facts of this case, the public interest served by not disclosing the photographs of applicable officers as described above clearly outweighs the public interest served by their disclosure. (Gov. Code § 6255(a)). The public has a strong interest in maintaining the safety and efficacy of the SMPD and its officers, many of whom, such as undercover officers, require anonymity to perform their duties effectively, protect their own safety, and protect the safety of their families. In undercover work, suspects must remain unaware of both the purpose and identity of the police. Undercover work often includes surveillance to gather information about planned crimes. Disclosure of the identity of undercover officers can result in violence against those officers, threats directed to their family members, or at the very least the abrupt and unsuccessful end of a criminal investigation. Disclosure of the photographs of undercover officers provides little insight into the functions of government, while disclosing such information would undermine the City’s ability to perform its essential functions and needlessly endanger the lives of SMPD officers working undercover and their families. The Court in Commission on Peace Officer Standards & Training v. Superior Court (2007) 42 Cal.4th 278, 301 acknowledged that: “…throughout the state there are some officers working in agencies who, because of their particular responsibilities, require anonymity in order to perform their duties effectively or to protect their own safety. …If the duties of a particular officer, such as one who is operating undercover, demand anonymity, the need to protect the officer's safety and effectiveness certainly would justify the Commission in withholding information identifying him or her under Government Code section 6255, subdivision (a), which permits records to be withheld if ‘on the facts of the particular case the public interest served by not disclosing the record clearly outweighs the public interest served by disclosure of the record. The public has a strong interest in maintaining the safety and efficacy of its law enforcement agencies.” Commission on Peace Officer Standards at p. 301. For the reasons outlined above, in weighing the public interest, the City finds that the public interest served by nondisclosure of the names of undercover SMPD officers or officers who have specific facts related to their or their families safety should their photographs be released far outweighs the public interest served by disclosure. This now concludes your request. Thank your patience and cooperation.
Sincerely,
The City of Santa Monica