The Santa Monica Police Department (SMPD) has officially launched its Santa Monica Analytical Real-Time Center (SMART Center), marking a significant advancement in how the City prevents, responds to, and investigates crime. The SMART Center serves as a centralized operations hub where technology, personnel, and real-time intelligence converge to support coordinated, proactive policing.
The SMART Center integrates multiple public safety technologies into a single operational platform, including the City’s camera network, Live 911, Drone as a First Responder operations, and advanced video analytics. This integration allows personnel to monitor incidents as they unfold, provide real-time intelligence to officers in the field, and support faster, more informed decision-making during critical incidents.
“This is a significant step forward in how we deliver public safety,” said Chief Darrick Jacob. “The SMART Center allows us to operate with greater precision, coordinate in real time, and proactively address crime trends while maintaining our commitment to transparency and accountability.”
“Safe streets are the foundation of Santa Monica’s comeback,” said Caroline Torosis, Mayor of Santa Monica. “The new businesses opening, the visitors returning, the investment flowing back into our corridors, all of it depends on people feeling safe here. The SMART Center gives our officers the real-time tools and information they need to deliver on that promise, and that is great news for every resident, every business owner, and every family in this city.”
A key function of the SMART Center is strengthening the Department’s ability to address Organized Retail Theft (ORT), a regional and statewide issue impacting Santa Monica’s commercial districts. By integrating live video and regional information-sharing systems, the SMART Center enhances SMPD’s ability to identify patterns, track repeat offenders, and coordinate with partner agencies to disrupt organized theft networks that operate across jurisdictional boundaries.
Unlike traditional systems that rely on after-the-fact investigation, the SMART Center is designed to support both real-time response and proactive enforcement. During active incidents, SMART personnel can synthesize information from multiple sources, coordinate aerial support through drone deployment, and provide officers with a clear operational picture to improve both effectiveness and safety.
Even prior to the completion of the physical center, SMPD utilized SMART Center capabilities in the field to support investigations, monitor incidents in progress, and coordinate deployments. With the center now fully operational, these tools are unified in a single environment, allowing for greater efficiency and consistency in how information is applied.
The SMART Center also enhances regional collaboration. By improving information sharing with local and state partners, SMPD is better positioned to address crime trends—particularly Organized Retail Theft—that extend beyond city limits and require coordinated, multi-agency response.
“I congratulate the Santa Monica Police Department for continually working to evolve the practice of policing to better serve our community,” said Nathan J. Hochman, Los Angeles County District Attorney. “Real-time crime intelligence centers are becoming the gold standard in policing and public safety nationwide. This cutting-edge technology helps our already highly trained officers have more robust evidence-collection which leads to greater crime prevention and, most importantly, fewer victims. At the District Attorney’s Office, this technology helps the prosecution to gather stronger evidence for our cases as we seek justice for victims. We appreciate the continued partnership with law enforcement as we work to take down retail thieves and other organized crime rings across Los Angeles County.”
Funding for the SMART Center was secured through a competitive grant from the California Board of State and Community Corrections as part of the Organized Retail Theft Prevention Grant Program, through which SMPD was awarded $6.125 million. This investment reflects the State’s recognition of technology-driven, intelligence-led policing as a critical component in addressing retail theft and other complex crime challenges.
The SMART Center directly supports SMPD’s four operational priorities: crime suppression, homelessness response, traffic safety, and community engagement. For the community, this translates to faster emergency response, more precise deployments, and improved coordination during large-scale or rapidly evolving incidents.
The launch of the SMART Center represents more than a new facility—it reflects a shift in how SMPD delivers public safety. By combining technology, personnel, and real-time intelligence, the Department is advancing a more coordinated, proactive approach focused on prevention, accountability, and community trust.
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