The lack of public safety is the biggest hurdle to economic development in Santa Monica.
It has to be a daily way of life for all of us. The people who work in our local cafes, the owners running our neighborhood stores, and the customers walking our sidewalks all need to feel completely safe every single day with no end date.Santa Monica only succeeds when residents, visitors and businesses completely trust that their safety is assured. To bring true balance back to our commercial districts, we must hire more police officers and actively deploy state-of-the-art crime-fighting tools to deter retail theft.Our local businesses aren't just a tax base. They are the actual fabric of our neighborhoods. Getting public safety right means a more stable, welcoming city for everyone who lives, works, and shops here.