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George P. Wright
About the Santa Monica
Police Department The Santa Monica Police Department is a full-service law enforcement agency. In addition to regular
patrol and investigative services, they have a number of specialized units such as Park Rangers, Mounted Patrol, K9, and Harbor
Guards.
According to the Santa Monica Police
Department, “The Park Ranger Unit is a civilian unit. The employees are supervised by the Santa Monica Police Department.
The Rangers are responsible for patrolling all of the parks, selected buildings and sites within the City of Santa Monica.
The Rangers patrol these areas by foot, bicycle and vehicle. They serve the needs of the public within the scope of a civilian
employee. The Park Rangers promote the safe use of the City of Santa Monica's parks and facilities. They enforce park
rules, regulations and City codes as well as provide security at various City programs, functions, and events.
The Santa Monica Police Department
Mounted Unit was formed in 1988, originally consisting of four full-time officers and four horses. Their primary duty was
to patrol Palisades Park, the stretch of park that extends 1.5 miles overlooking the ocean. The Mounted Unit is now assigned
out of the Directed Resource Division which is responsible for the downtown business district, Palisades Park, the Pier and
the beach areas, where large crowds tend to gather. The horses are extremely effective in crowd management and their high
visibility is an effective tool in deterring crime.
The Harbor Patrol has been located
on the Santa Monica Pier since the 1960s. They provide 24-hour pier security, ocean swimmer rescues and vessel assists. Harbor
Guards render first aid, maintain the harbor warning buoys and pier pilings, perform routine beach patrols, provide daily
beach, weather, boating and fishing information and rescue ailing marine mammals.”
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