The Santa Monica Chief of Police leads the city’s police department under the authority of the City Manager, commanding more than 470 sworn officers and professional staff and a budget that now tops $132 million. As of December 2025, Darrick Jacob holds the position after more than two decades inside the department.
Who Is the Current Chief
Darrick Jacob was formally appointed on December 14, 2025, after serving as acting chief since August of that year.1City of Santa Monica. Darrick Jacob Appointed as Santa Monica Chief of Police He joined the Santa Monica Police Department in 2004 and was promoted to Deputy Chief in 2020, bringing more than 30 years of law enforcement experience to the role.2SMPD Leadership. Meet the Leaders of Santa Monica PD A U.S. Navy veteran, he has led teams in patrol, investigations, SWAT, and command assignments.
Jacob is the first internal candidate chosen to lead the department in over 40 years, breaking a long pattern of national searches.1City of Santa Monica. Darrick Jacob Appointed as Santa Monica Chief of Police He holds a Bachelor of Science in Health Science and a Master of Public Administration, both from California State University, Northridge, and has completed the Sherman Block Supervisory Leadership Institute, the California POST Executive Development Course, and the Senior Management Institute for Police.3City of Santa Monica. Darrick Jacob
He took over after Ramón Batista resigned on August 22, 2025. Batista had been sworn in on October 18, 2021 as the city’s first appointed Latino police chief following a national recruitment process.4City of Santa Monica. Ramon Batista Selected to Lead the Santa Monica Police Department
How the Chief Is Appointed and Removed
Article VII, Section 701 of the Santa Monica City Charter gives the City Manager sole authority to appoint and remove the Chief of Police. The charter places the position outside the classified civil service, so the chief serves at the City Manager’s pleasure rather than under a fixed contract term.5City of Santa Monica, CA. The Charter of the City of Santa Monica – Article VII The Appointive Officers That arrangement makes the chief directly accountable to the city’s top executive and leaves the job less secure than the civil-service ranks below it.
When the position opens, the city has historically engaged national search firms. The 2021 posting required a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice, public administration, or a related field, plus at least seven years of senior executive management experience in a municipal police agency.6Police Executive Research Forum. City of Santa Monica, California Police Chief Jacob’s selection skipped that process, with City Manager Oliver Chi citing confidence in the department’s internal leadership pipeline.1City of Santa Monica. Darrick Jacob Appointed as Santa Monica Chief of Police
What the Chief Commands
The Santa Monica Police Department employs 232 sworn officers and 240 professional staff, serving a city of roughly 93,000 residents plus the millions of visitors drawn each year to the Pier, Third Street Promenade, and beach areas.7Join the Santa Monica Police Department. Join the Santa Monica Police Department The department is organized into divisions for patrol operations, criminal investigations, special enforcement (including SWAT, traffic, and youth services), and administrative services such as records, crime analysis, and custody operations.
The proposed police budget for fiscal year 2025-26 reached $132 million, with the 2026-27 figure projected at $135 million.8The Corsair. Santa Monica Police Budget to Expand by $9mil, Three Times Typical The FY 2020-21 budget stood at roughly $98.9 million, meaning funding has climbed by more than a third in about five years.6Police Executive Research Forum. City of Santa Monica, California Police Chief
Core Powers and Responsibilities
The chief holds direct command over all sworn and civilian personnel, sets internal department policy, and has authority to launch internal affairs investigations. Discipline can range from written reprimands to termination.
Department policy must comply with California law, including the peace officer decertification framework enacted by Senate Bill 2 in 2022. Under Penal Code Section 13510.8, POST can revoke a peace officer’s certification for serious misconduct, and employing agencies may only keep officers who hold valid certification.9California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training. Guide to Peace Officer Decertification Proceedings and Officer Rights to Contest and Appeal The chief is responsible for reporting qualifying misconduct to POST and keeping the department’s use-of-force, evidence-handling, and conduct policies aligned with those statewide standards.10Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training. Decertification Process
Budget stewardship is also part of the role, covering specialized units, training that meets POST standards, and capital investments in technology.11CA.gov. Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training On the operations side, SMPD participates in the California Law Enforcement Mutual Aid Plan, which routes assistance requests through the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department as the operational area coordinator. The chief can deploy personnel and equipment to assist other jurisdictions during emergencies or large planned events and can request the same support in return.
Who Oversees the Chief
Several layers of oversight check the chief’s authority. The most direct is the City Council, which approves the police budget and reviews department performance through the City Manager. Because the chief serves at the City Manager’s pleasure under the charter, the practical possibility of removal is always present.5City of Santa Monica, CA. The Charter of the City of Santa Monica – Article VII The Appointive Officers
The Public Safety Reform and Oversight Commission, created by City Council ordinance in January 2021, adds a community-focused layer. The commission works with the department and outside experts to develop and recommend reforms on complaint handling, disciplinary oversight, and community policing practices.12City of Santa Monica. Public Safety Reform and Oversight Commission For spring 2026, the commission formed ad hoc committees focused on outreach and engagement, immigration enforcement, and traffic stops.
At the state level, the California Department of Justice retains authority to investigate patterns of civil rights violations within any local department. POST’s decertification power acts on individual officers rather than department leadership, but a pattern of cases originating from one agency reflects on the chief’s management.10Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training. Decertification Process
Pay and Benefits
When Batista was hired in 2021, his starting annual salary was $298,788.4City of Santa Monica. Ramon Batista Selected to Lead the Santa Monica Police Department The city’s Executive Pay Plan adds a biweekly education incentive of $230.77 for a chief who holds a POST Executive Certificate or a master’s degree.13City of Santa Monica. Executive Pay Plan Retirement benefits run through the California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS), with eligibility and contributions governed by the contract between the city and CalPERS as approved by the City Council. Because the position sits outside the classified civil service, the chief does not accumulate the tenure protections of rank-and-file officers.