SANTA MONICA—On Monday, October 26, Jacqueline Seabrooks took the oath as Interim Chief of Police for the Santa Monica Police Department. Seabrooks is taking the place of Chief Cynthia Renaud who retired on Sunday, October 25 after more than 60,000 people signed a petition calling for her resignation.
Seabrooks retired as Chief of Police in September 2017 after serving 30 years for the Santa Monica Police Department. She was asked by Interim City Manager Lane Dilg to come out of retirement and serve as Chief of Police.
“No one knows the Santa Monica community and Santa Monica Police Department like our friend and longtime leader, Jackie Seabrooks. This is a critical moment for Santa Monica. I have every confidence in Chief Seabrooks and look forward to working together to provide for community safety and wellbeing, as well as to advance public safety reform work underway,” said Dilg in a statement.
Seabrooks shared in a message on Tuesday, October 27 that, “In speaking on behalf of the Police Department, I want to assure you that we are committed to pushing up our sleeves and participating in the healing work necessary to restore the trust and confidence of this community even as we intently focus our attention on crime, homelessness, and other quality of life concerns.”.
Seabrooks has served for the Institute for American Police Reform and said she will lean on those practices to optimize the needs of the Santa Monica community.
