SMPD Vision Statement: We endeavor to be law enforcement’s benchmark for excellence as we seek to eliminate crime and social disorder in collaboration with our community partners.
Historically, very few members of the Santa Monica community have wanted to know how the sausage is made. They don’t feel comfortable approaching our doors, or they simply don’t want to take the time to come into the department to see what we do and how we do it. Many in our community never meet the people who make up the department and really, truly understand how we reflect the mores and values of Santa Monica. The Police Department, like the City as a whole, is constantly changing with the tides of politics and prosperity, forever working to maximize the benefits of public servants in the lives of our residents, business owners and visitors alike. We want to provide the best service possible in every interaction.
Part of our Vision is to be a benchmark for excellence. For those outside our organization who have not spent much time interacting with us, this means something entirely different to them than to those of us who are doing the work every day. Our officers, whether out on the street or working other assignments, are constantly practicing excellence in the hope that one day our organization will accomplish a critical mass of good work that would make us the benchmark. It is not a sign of hubris, it’s a value statement and an objective. Just as our vision statement of eliminating crime and social disorder is at its core aspirational, so is the idea of doing excellent work every day on behalf of the community we have sworn an oath to keep safe.
