Santa Monica police budget to expand by $9mil, three times typical increase

Illustration by Katie Easterson

The city of Santa Monica is proposing a 2025-26 police department budget of $132 million. Compared to the current fiscal year 2024-25, this represents a $9 million inflation of the Santa Monica Police Department (SMPD) budget.

Ninety percent of the department budget is allocated for salaries and wages. However, the total amount of permanent and temporary department employees is fixed at 421.5, and is not projected to change from 2024-25 to 2025-26, according to the proposed budget.

The SMPD budget represents 16.78% of the city’s total budget for 2025-26.

On May 27, at 5:30 p.m., the City Council will hold a Study Session to analyze the biennial budget within their regular meeting. This encapsulates the 2025-26 and 2025-27 budgets. The proposed SMPD budget for 2025-27 is $135 million.

“The next two years will be a challenge, following an already difficult past few years,” said Oscar Santiago, director of Santa Monica’s Finance Department.

The Council will officially adopt the budget at a public hearing on June 24.

During the fiscal year of 2022-23, the police department spent $113,822,188. Ninety percent of the department’s expenditures went to salaries and wages.

The next year, 2023-24, expenditures rose by about $6 million: $119,186,303. Again, ninety percent of the money was spent on salaries.

In the 2024-25 fiscal year, which lapses on June 30, the department is working through a revised budget of $123,088,307. Throughout the fiscal year, the city allocates more money to the SMPD budget as they judge is necessary.

To watch the budget Study Session on May 27, visit www.smgov.net/video/ or the City’s YouTube livestream at www.youtube.com/user/Citytv16santamonica.  

Santa Monica residents can provide public comments by email or by phone.

They can also show up to the public meeting to provide public comments at 5:30 p.m. at the City Hall Council Chambers at 1685 Main Street, Room 250. Public commenters must register at the Speaker Kiosk before the meeting.