Alert: Police Blotter:

Terms Of Endearment?Monday, April 6, 3:41 a.m. Officers of The Santa Monica Police Department rushed to the 2000 block of 20th Street after receiving a report of a domestic dispute. Upon arrival the damsel in distress informed the officers that her “boyfriend” had choked and punched her after they had disagreed over something (“I hate to disagree, but…choke…punch!”). The “boyfriend” had, by the time the officers arrived, run away, but these officers leapt into action, and found the (alleged) scoundrel. He was arrested and booked for domestic violence, and low and behold, a parole violation. I wonder if he is still her “boyfriend,” however?* * * *Not So LuckyTuesday, April 7, 3:20 p.m. The Lucky Brand Store, located on the 1200 block of Third Street Promenade, is part of a national chain of purveyors of quality, and in vogue jeans. On the above date officers attended the store, not to make an attempt to improve upon their sense of fashion, but in response to a theft report. Apparently the store’s loss prevention agent claimed that the store was showing a number of cash deposit shortages, and instead of applying for a government bailout (in vogue?), this loss prevention agent had “interviewed” a couple of employees, and as a result, discovered that one of them had been taking cash from the store since February of this year. This employee was arrested, and she was booked for embezzlement, and presumably, released on bail (bailed out?). * * * *Don’t Tase Me ManThursday, April 9, 9:16 p.m. Officers received a report of a disturbance at the 1600 block of Ocean Avenue and sped to the scene to investigate. Upon arrival they encountered a female victim who informed the officers that a man had requested that she, along with her family, give him some money (it’s ok to ask, one supposes). She had declined the request but the man appeared to find that to be an unacceptable response, and proceeded to follow the victim to a nearby restaurant whereupon he grabbed the victim by the collar (that’s not ok). Officers approached this money-requesting-collar-grabbing-follower, and attempted to detain him. He evidently disliked this idea and refused the detention orders verbally issued by the cops. The cops deployed their taser, and tased the guy (buzz-ouch!). This increased his co-operation level somewhat, and he was taken into custody, where he was later booked for disturbing the peace, battery, and resisting and interfering.* * * *A Shirt, A Sweater, and Some Shades.Thursday, April 9, 2:49 p.m. Urban Outfitters, 1400 block of Third Street Promenade. Officers attended the above location because a woman had left the store, and in doing so had set off the store’s theft alarm, subsequently arousing the suspicion of the resident loss prevention agent, who, as a result, detained her. The aurally adept loss prevention agent searched the woman’s bags and discovered some stolen items, namely a shirt, a sweater, and sunglasses, with a combined value of $144.00. (I wonder if those were sale prices?). The woman was arrested and booked for commercial burglary.* * * *An Example of An Average Day for The CopsTuesday, April 14, 2009 was a typical weekday’s work for Santa Monica’s finest, with 34 calls for service recorded. The most popular activity performed by officers, with the purpose of keeping Santa Monica safe, was the “Traffic/Vehicle Stop”. There were 14 such stops conducted this past Tuesday and the results of these interceptions ranged from assisting the occupant(s) by giving advice (known as an advisal), and the issuance of a ticket (citation/other enforcement) to an actual arrest, one of which happened Tuesday at the corner of Lincoln and Hill Street. Other events that occurred on this average day for the cops included a family disturbance, lost property, a couple of suspicious circumstances, a suspicious person (just one? I see them all the time), a burglar alarm going off, a public intoxication, a pair of “general parking problems” (only two? I seem to have at least that amount myself, every time I venture out!), an officer needs help call, a duo of status checks, a periodic check, a citizen flagging down an officer (presumably without an actual flag) and a number of calls that were inactive, false alarms, or amounted to nothing (all dressed up and nowhere to go!). So, although this past Tuesday was an average weekday for the cops, let’s also remember that they stand ready and prepared with immaculate uniforms, pepper spray, tasers and some other, more lethal weapons, to answer the call of duty, whatever it may be…to protect and to serve.