On Friday, August 23, locals may have noticed a significant police presence near Washington Ave and Lincoln Blvd, but it was actually a piece of police equipment that may have gone unnoticed that ended up saving the day.
According to the Santa Monica Police Department (SMPD), a 911 call was received from Target at 420 Broadway at about 5:30pm regarding theft. The suspect was identified from a previous robbery at the location and was asked to leave the premises.
During the interaction, the suspect assaulted one of the employees and fled the scene on foot. A field training officer and his trainee responded, put out a crime broadcast, and added a photo of the suspect to the call for service so that other officers knew who they were looking for.
A few minutes later, an officer confirmed the location of the suspect in the 600 block of Wilshire Blvd and attempted to detain him. A pursuit on foot ensued, resulting in the suspect attempting to hide on the roof of an abandoned building in the 1100 block of Lincoln Blvd.
The location was surrounded as officers attempted to negotiate with the suspect to surrender. At one point, the suspect pushed down a ladder set up by the Santa Monica Fire Department and then climbed a tree on the south side of the property, approximately 30 feet up.
Even after several hours of negotiation, the suspect still refused to come down. The police officers on the scene backed off and used one of the department’s small drones to continue surveillance on the suspect. After about 25 minutes, the suspect climbed down of his own accord and exited the property.
The drone pilot was able to continue monitoring his movements and he was taken into custody a short distance away. The suspect was booked for robbery, battery and resist/delay arrest.
The small drones are part of a program at SMPD that uses drones to conduct surveillance throughout the city.
Officials say the Police Department’s Drone as a First Responder program has greatly enhanced public safety since it began a few years ago. In addition to the small mobile drones, a larger device is stationed at SMPD’s downtown headquarters. A sworn officer pilot operates the drone from the Public Safety Facility’s rooftop, monitoring radio channels and 911 calls. The drone can quickly take off and reach calls directly, providing aerial support for officers on the ground. It offers real-time updates, tracks fleeing suspects, and guides responding officers, improving the likelihood of resolving dangerous situations safely and effectively.
The drone incident wasn’t the end of the drama on Friday night as a suspected drunk driver destroyed a thankfully empty seating area on Main Street.
At about 2:13am, SMPD received a call stating that a dark blue Mercedes with two occupants inside collided with the patio area at Urth Caffe at 2327 Main St.
SMPD said there were open containers of alcohol found inside the vehicle so the driver was given sobriety tests in the field and was subsequently arrested for DUI. Thankfully, there were no reports of any injuries. The parklet area was severely damaged and was being dismantled on Monday.
scott.snowden@smdp.com
