On October 4, Ramón Batista will step down as SMPD Police Chief. The following is a statement from the City of Santa Monica on his temporary replacement.
Chief of Police Ramón Batista announced late Friday that he will be stepping down from his role after nearly four years with the city. Chief Batista submitted a letter of resignation to City Manager Oliver Chi and also issued a public letter to the community.
“I am grateful to Chief Batista for his service to Santa Monica and commend him for his many contributions,” City Manager Chi said. “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.”
Chief Batista has served as Santa Monica’s chief of police since 2021, coming to the city from Mesa, Arizona. During his tenure, he oversaw the hiring of dozens of new police officers, adopted a departmental strategic plan, and positively positioned the city in regional efforts to combat retail theft.
With this transition, City Manager Chi has appointed Deputy Chief Darrick Jacob as Acting Chief of Police.
“As we manage this leadership transition in the Santa Monica Police Department, I am excited to share that Darrick Jacob has been named acting chief of police. ‘DJ’ has served the department with distinction for over 20 years and, most recently, his responsibilities as deputy chief of police have involved overseeing the day-to-day operations of the SMPD. With his knowledge of our department, combined with his leadership philosophy and approach, I am supremely confident that our staff, the Police Department, and the entire community will be well served by Acting Chief Jacob.”
Acting Chief Jacob has been with the Santa Monica Police Department since 2004, having previously served with the Northridge Police Department and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. He has been deputy chief since 2020, and is also a veteran of the United States Navy. Acting Chief Jacob holds a bachelor’s degree in health science and a master’s degree in public administration from California State University, Northridge.
Further information about appointing a permanent chief of police will be shared as it becomes available.
