"More police patrols and presence is needed especially with the Metrolink arriving."
Oct. 1, 2014 Whitney Scott Bain

"Averaging about 4,000 crimes annually, Santa Monica's crime rate is about as low at it was during the 1950’s, and has substantially declined from the 1980's & 1990's (Avg. 10-11k). However, our city has an average theft rate that is higher than the national average, and constitutes the majority of reported crime within city limits. We need to crack down on larceny and theft to protect our economic prosperity. Our fire department is rated class 1 (1- 10 rating for preparedness), and nearly 80% of calls are medical related. All of the cities paramedics are firefighters, but not all firefighters are paramedics. I believe we should cross-train in order to create more paramedics given the city's demand. In addition, the incoming expo line could have an impact across the board on our public safety. We should be ready to measure that impact, and expand services as needed."
Oct. 1, 2014 Nick Boles

"We need to be realistic. We have a train on the way. We have 7.4 million tourists and 125,000 office workers in our city each day. We have a Police Department and a Fire Department that are acceptable sizes for our nighttime population, but inadequate for the daytime influx of workers and tourists our city experiences. Let's give Fire and Police some help. We've eliminated our Park Rangers and we have combined patrol areas. Our Fire Department is at the same daytime staffing level as it was 20 years ago. We value our safety and security too much in this city to cut corners when it comes to these departments.

Let’s add the staff the Police Department and the Fire Department need to protect us."
Oct. 1, 2014 Phil Brock

"Even though local crime rates have gone steadily down for many years, changing times bring changing needs that must be addressed.

With the Expo Light Rail line coming to town, there will be new challenges for our police and fire personnel to maintain their excellent response times, as the Expo Line will de facto split the city in two many times a day, as it passes through our city streets at ground level through most of its route.

Investing in public safety is investing in ourselves. To respond to the challenges presented by the Expo line, I support making strong and prudent investments in our public safety personnel and equipment, to ensure we can maintain our existing high level of service.

Related concerns arise with the additional number of people coming to town. Given how our public safety personnel already respond during average busy weekends, I am confident they can handle this influx. However we need to ensure they have the resources to do so, and it will be a learning process as to what is required, as we adapt to the changes that the Expo Line will bring."
Oct. 1, 2014 Michael Feinstein

"We are fortunate to employ the highest caliber police and firefighters and to provide them the latest training and excellent compensation packages. In the last 20 years, however, our calls for assistance have increased tenfold while our basic staffing has remained the same. While the number of calls may not be an issue now, before the light rail, it may prove to be an issue when the train begins to run. The Expo also may cause delays in response time for public safety and may require additional resources.

The issue of delays in response time is a factor in my alarm over another public safety issue: the potential change in our emergency dispatch system from a single tiered system (which helped to earn us a Class 1 rating from ISO in 2012) to a two-tier system that could cost lives. With a $550 million budget, public safety is the last service we should compromise or economize."
Oct. 1, 2014 Sue Himmelrich

"Santa Monica has implemented many public safety programs and within these programs there is always room for improvement. The City's public safety programs, like Safe Routes To School and Neighborhood Resource Officers for example, must always adapt to new conditions or changing needs in our community. We should increase public safety in all areas of our community including on our streets, sidewalks, bike lanes, in our neighborhoods, through programs for youth and seniors, recreational areas like the pier and the beach, and in our parks and other areas of public open space. Santa Monica is committed to increasing public safety and I will work to continue these efforts."
Oct. 1, 2014 Jennifer Kennedy

"More people have been killed on the sidewalks and crosswalks of Santa Monica in the last year than in the 100 year history of the SM airport. I personally have three hundred cars a day idling beneath my windowsill when picking up their children from school. The environmental impact of this is hard to overlook. The streets are congested with drivers pressed and aggravated by the density of gridlock, cyclists weave between the road and sidewalk into the paths of pedestrians and oncoming traffic, and overall the situation is very unsafe. I don't believe that we need more 5,000 dollar solar powered stop signs, but instead the sanity in our streets that only low density and limited development can provide."
Oct. 1, 2014 Terence Later

"For the fifth time, I have been endorsed by both the Santa Monica Police Officers Association and Santa Monica Firefighters' Local 1109. These are the men and women who run toward armed shooters and into burning buildings, with the well-being of our community and of our residents as their unshakable mission.

Our public safety personnel are uniquely qualified to judge my long-term commitment to their work. I am in ongoing touch with both department brass and the rank and file, to make sure as a Councilmember I’m providing them with the resources and support to keep every Santa Monican safe and protected.

As needs grow and service calls increase, we face growing challenges in staffing, deployment, equipment, and dispatch. Without dishonoring the impeccable professionalism of our police and fire personnel by engaging in political posturing, I have stayed on top of their issues, engaged in problem-solving, and continued to offer the utmost support to make sure public safety in Santa Monica remains a top priority. When public safety needs are identified and agreed upon, I will always be there to fulfill them."
Oct. 1, 2014 Kevin McKeown

"The city should work more closeIy with the business improvement district within the city, so that the issue of public safety is treated as a public/private partnership. Cities that use public/private partnerships to enhance public safety have had great success, an example of the success is the South Park Business Improvement District in DTLA I have personally been at the negative end of the poor safety measures of the city and it was one of the main motivators to run for City Council in this election cycle."
Oct. 1, 2014 Zoë Muntaner

"Public safety is one of the most important services the City provides. Maintaining a well-trained and equipped fire department and police department is critical to keeping Santa Monica a safe city. Staying abreast of best practices and new information requires ongoing support for the police and fire departments."
Oct. 1, 2014 Pam O'Connor