Santa Monica Police Chief To Retire Following Civil Unrest In May

SANTA MONICA, CA — Santa Monica Police Chief Cynthia Renaud will retire on Oct. 25, city officials announced Friday, citing recent events in Santa Monica as part of the decision.

The city also announced that former Santa Monica Police Chief Jacqueline Seabrooks will come out of retirement to serve as Interim Chief of Police beginning Oct. 26.

Some locals have been critical of local law enforcement for their responses to protests, calling on Renaud to resign in the wake of the events on May 31, and saying that police did not act to protect people and local businesses and appeared to be caught by surprise by the events of that day. As of Friday, more than 66,355 people have signed a change.org petition calling for Renaud's resignation.

More than 400 people were arrested in Santa Monica following the unrest from May 31 to June 1. A majority of the people arrested were not Santa Monica residents, Renaud said at the time, and they were arrested on suspicion of looting, burglary and assault with a deadly weapon. The city later said they would not press charges against peaceful protesters.

Renaud joined the department in April 2018.

"After successfully reducing crime in her previous community, she applied those skills in Santa Monica, reducing crime by 16% last year," according to a city news release.

City officials recognized Renaud's work with the department, including increasing the number of trained officers who support efforts to address regional homelessness, leading the department during COVID-19 and helping to advance public safety reforms citywide.

"However, recognizing that recent events both here in Santa Monica and around the nation have strained community-police relations, Chief Renaud has made the decision to step aside so that the Santa Monica Police Department can continue to move forward," according to a statement.

“Chief Renaud is a skilled law enforcement leader who has served Santa Monica with dedication during her tenure,” Interim City Manager Dilg said in a news release. “During a time when our City, our nation, and our law enforcement communities have faced unprecedented challenges, Chief Renaud has served this community tirelessly. We are grateful for her service in these historic times.”

Renaud has more than 27 years of law enforcement experience.

“Serving as Chief in Santa Monica has been one of the highlights of my career,” Chief Renaud said in a statement. “I am proud of our record over the past two years in times of unprecedented scrutiny and challenge for law enforcement. In my role as President of the IACP, I will be focused on rebuilding the relationships of trust on which all successful law enforcement is based. I am grateful to the men and women of the Santa Monica Police Department for the honor of leading them and to the City of Santa Monica for choosing me for this opportunity.”

Renaud will assume the presidency of the International Association of Chiefs of Police on Oct. 23. She was chosen to lead that organization from among its 31,000 members in 165 nations, city officials said.

Renaud’s last day will be Oct. 25, and following that Seabrooks will take over the position.

“No one knows the Santa Monica community and Santa Monica Police Department like our friend and longtime leader, Jackie Seabrooks,” Interim City Manager Lane Dilg said in a news release. “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.”

Seabrooks retired as Santa Monica’s Chief of Police in September 2017. She started her career in the city in 1982 and has 36 years of experience in law enforcement.

"She leads through the model of 21st Century Policing and has advanced public safety reform efforts at the helm of both the Santa Monica (2012 – 2017) and Inglewood (2007 – 2012) Police Departments," the city said in a news release. "At every step of her career, Seabrooks has fostered strong relationships with the community and within the police department."

“I am certainly humbled at being asked to once again serve the Santa Monica community,” Seabrooks said. “I am equally excited to begin working alongside the women and men of the Santa Monica Police Department as we continue to focus our attention on all facets of community safety during these unprecedented times.”

During Seabrooks' time in the role, the department added the body-worn camera program and implemented implicit bias training. Under her leadership, the department "acquired the hand-held technology needed to enable the department to respond to the legal requirements of AB 953 (Racial & Identify Profiling Act) well ahead of schedule."

"Seabrooks provided decisive and steady leadership in the aftermath of the 2013 spree shooting which culminated on the Santa Monica College campus," officials said.

She currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Institute for American Police Reform.

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