Less than four years into his tenure, Santa Monica’s first-ever Latino police chief, Ramón Batista, has announced his resignation from a department in which he oversaw a drop in crime and increased police hiring.
Batista hinted at a potential clash with city leaders in a letter on Friday to the city manager, Oliver Chi.
“My nearly 40 years of experience in public safety and policing, my deeply held sense of justice, and following not only the spirit, but the letter of the law, appear to be at odds from demands set by the new administration,” he wrote.
“In that light, the right path is to transition leadership here, as I look forward with purpose, conviction, and optimism to my next challenge.”
Batista said in his letter that his last day would be Oct. 4, exactly two weeks before his fourth anniversary of being sworn in as Santa Monica’s 18th police chief over its 128 years.
Batista and Santa Monica officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Chi, who received Batista’s letter, said in a statement he was grateful for the chief’s “many contributions.”
“His dedication, kindness and vision have shaped our police department in positive ways, and on behalf of the entire organization, we honor and thank him for his service,” Chi said.
The city manager also noted that Santa Monica Deputy Chief Darrick Jacob would serve as acting police chief.
Chi said Jacob had served the department for more than 20 years, with responsibilities including overseeing daily operations.
“I am supremely confident that our staff, the police department, and the entire community will be well served by Acting Chief Jacob,” Chi said.
Chi did not lay out a process or a timeline for finding a permanent replacement.
A call to the Santa Monica Police Officers Assn., which endorsed Batista’s hiring, was not returned.
Batista claims a few victories in his resignation letter, including helping rebuild morale after Santa Monica endured a chaotic protest in May 2020 in which hundreds were arrested in the wake of the death of George Floyd.
In May 2021, an outside analyst hired by the city found several shortcomings in the department’s reaction to the protest. Although no one died, the OIR Group found that widespread “vandalism and property damage, the losses to business and the divisive handling of protesters” ultimately undermined the “confidence in people’s basic security.”
OIR made 44 recommendations to the city, including addressing the department’s high turnover rate and not relying on overtime as a fix for low staffing. The report also criticized a lack of planning in the lead-up to the protest.
“During that period, morale was low, many officers were sidelined due to injuries, and the department was stretched thin,” he wrote.
Batista said in his letter that the department had 177 working police officers when he took over in October 2021. He said that number had been bumped up to 231.
Part of what made Batista an attractive prospect for Santa Monica in the summer of 2021 was his ability to fight crime.
By the end of his 2½-year run as the police chief of Mesa, Ariz., his department had lowered Part I crimes to a city all-time low of 23 events per 1,000 residents.
Part I crimes, according to the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting Program, refer to eight specific categories of serious offenses: criminal homicide (murder and non-negligent manslaughter), rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny-theft, motor vehicle theft and arson.
In 2024, the department recorded 50,000 proactive contacts with residents and businesses while responding to 128,000 service calls, according to Batista.
He said his department made 2,800 arrests, which led to a 2% reduction in Part I crimes.
“I leave confident that the department is stronger, more modern, and more connected to the community than when I arrived,” he said.
