The Santa Monica Police Department (SMPD) is a law enforcement agency of the city of Santa Monica, California .
30-522: The department was founded in May 1897. At the beginning of the twentieth century, public drunkenness was initially a major focus for the department. As the city of Santa Monica grew, a detective bureau was implemented, as well as a call box system that allowed for officers to be alerted faster. Illegal gambling operations in the city also were an issue during the Great Depression. The police department operates
60-563: A Roller Derby star. The rinks operator was Jack Goodrich who was a former vaudeville and silent film star. The operators daughter Michelle Goodrich later became a showgirl in the Ice Capades. The La Monica Ballroom was demolished in 1963 as a result of the Newcomb family waiting too long to start repairs. The Pleasure Pier thrived during the 1920s but faded during the Great Depression . During
90-625: A distance and has been turned off during the Earth Hour observance. It also has an original carousel hippodrome from the 1920s, the Santa Monica Pier Aquarium operated by Heal the Bay , shops, entertainers, a video arcade , a trapeze school, pubs , and restaurants . The pier's west end is a popular location for anglers . The pier is a venue for outdoor concerts, movies, and other activities. Santa Monica has had several piers; however,
120-530: A jail, which has a maximum capacity of 112 people, but is only allowed to confine each person for 48 hours at most. The Serial Inebriate Outreach Program tries to persuade people currently in the jail for drunkenness to seek treatment for alcoholism; the program has had a 25% success rate as of 2006. Santa Monica named Jacqueline Seabrooks its first female police chief in April 2012. She assumed her new post in May 2012, succeeding Timothy J. Jackman, who retired. In 2013,
150-410: A new company, Philadelphia Toboggan Coaster, shortly thereafter. Rebbie was appointed president. In 2007 he bought out Dauphinee to become the sole owner, and changed the company's name to Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters, Inc. (PTCI). The company continues to manufacture roller coaster trains, queue gates and fin brakes. As of 2019, Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters has built 127 roller coasters around
180-519: A safe eating advisory for any fish caught from Santa Monica Pier to Ventura Harbor due to elevated levels of mercury and PCBs. On October 9, 2023, part of the pier was forced to evacuate after a man who claiming to have a bomb climbed onto the Ferris wheel at Pacific Park. He was then arrested and taken into custody. The City of Santa Monica created a non-profit in response to the damage and called it Santa Monica Pier Restoration Corporation (SMPRC). SMPRC
210-563: A sequence toward the beginning where he goes to the La Monica Ballroom for an audition. The pier is also featured in the 2018 film Pacific Rim Uprising , starring John Boyega , where a kaiju attack destroys the pier (as well as the entire city). Jack Dawson in Titanic references the pier, which would have been just three years old in 1912, when the ship sank. Philadelphia Toboggan Company Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters ( PTC )
240-465: Is a large pier at the foot of Colorado Avenue in Santa Monica, California , United States. It contains a small amusement park, concession stands, and areas for views and fishing. The pier is part of the greater Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area . The pier contains Pacific Park , a family amusement park with its solar panelled Ferris wheel . The brightly lit wheel can be seen from
270-716: Is headquartered Hippodromes second floor, with former apartments being converted into offices, and conducted the daily operations of the Santa Monica Pier, such as managing events, filming, promotions, tenants, and street performers. SMPRC has produced the Santa Monica Pier Paddle Board Race and the Twilight Summer Concert Series. Also, in 2011, SMPRC changed the company name to the Santa Monica Pier Corporation (SMPC). In
300-451: Is one of the oldest existing roller coaster manufacturing companies in the world. Based in Hatfield, Pennsylvania , it was established in 1904 by Henry B. Auchy and Chester Albright under the name Philadelphia Toboggan Company . The company manufactured carousels , wooden roller coasters, toboggans (roller coaster cars) and later, roller coaster trains. The Philadelphia Toboggan Company
330-412: The 1930s, most of the amusement park facilities were closed down and its attractions sold off. A breakwater was built in 1934 that provided docking for up to 100 fishing and pleasure boats near the pier. The bridge and entry gate to Santa Monica Pier were built in 1938 by the federal Works Project Administration , and replaced the former grade connection. The Newcomb Pier was privately owned until it
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#1732847890834360-496: The Carousel and Hippodrome were locations for the film The Sting . Storms swept away the protective breakwater in 1982. During storms in early 1983, the pier experienced a significant loss. On January 27, there were reported swells of 10-feet during this winter storm. When the storm was over, the lower deck of the pier was destroyed. The City of Santa Monica began repairs on March 1, 1983, when another storm rolled in. A crane which
390-570: The Carousel, PTC #62, in 1922. It features 44 hand-carved horses. It was rebuilt in 1990 inside the Hippodrome. A calliope provides musical accompaniment. The La Monica Ballroom opened on July 23, 1924. Designed by T. S. Eslick with a Spanish façade and French Renaissance interior, it was the largest dance hall on the west coast , accommodating 5,000 dancers on its 15,000-square-foot (1,400 m ) hard maple floor. Country music star Spade Cooley began broadcasting his weekly television show from
420-758: The Pleasure Pier eventually included the Santa Monica Looff Hippodrome building (which now houses the current carousel and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places ), the Blue Streak Racer wooden roller coaster (which was purchased from the defunct Wonderland amusement park in San Diego), the Whip, merry-go-rounds, Wurlitzer organs, and a funhouse. The Philadelphia Toboggan Company built
450-556: The Roxbury (1998), Mighty Joe Young (1998), Miracle Beach , Forrest Gump (there is a Bubba Gump Shrimp Company Restaurant on the pier), Not Another Teen Movie , Iron Man , Desperate Teenage Lovedolls , Dark Ride , Cellular , The Hottie and the Nottie , Falling Down , Ruthless People (the pier is the site of the movie's climactic final scene), Love Stinks , Hancock , The Happytime Murders , Sharknado ,
480-664: The acquisition of the inventory of the Dentzel Carousel Company in 1927. Lead carvers included Daniel Carl Muller, Leo Zoller, John Zalar, and Frank Caretta. Examples of the company's carousels (manufactured 1904–1934) exist throughout the United States. The Philadelphia Toboggan Company built the Rollo Coaster at Idlewild Park in 1938, and the carousel for the same amusement park in 1931. The company manufactured Skee Ball games from 1946 to 1977. In 1926, PTC
510-678: The ballroom in 1948, where the program remained until 1954. In the summer of 1955, the Hollywood Autocade opened at the La Monica with one-hundred famous and unusual cars, including Jack Benny 's Maxwell and a Rumpler Drop Car . From 1955 until 1962, the ballroom served as a roller skating rink ; first as Skater's Ballroom, and later as the Santa Monica Roller Rink, where the speed skating club won many state and regional championships and later Champion speed skater Ronnie Rains become
540-415: The current Santa Monica Pier is made up of two adjoining piers that long had separate owners. The long, narrow Municipal Pier opened September 9, 1909, primarily to carry sewer pipes beyond the breakers and had no amenities. The short, wide adjoining Pleasure Pier to the south, also known as Newcomb Pier, was built in 1916 by Charles I. D. Looff and his son Arthur, amusement park pioneers. Attractions on
570-642: The department assigns a group of officers to coordinate with other agencies to provide housing to the homeless, instead of perpetuating an arrest-and-release cycle. From 2007 to 2009, the program reduced homelessness levels by 8%. Efforts by Santa Monica police to fine homeless persons have often proved ineffective, not only because people arrested for homelessness are unable to pay the fine, but also because landlords are unwilling to lease housing to people with arrest warrants for unpaid fines. The police will also call paramedics for homeless individuals in need of medical attention. Some homeless individuals have complained that
600-480: The department was criticized for paying 28 of its staff more than 200,000 dollars per year. Police Chief Seabrooks claimed that high salaries were partially due to overtime paid by private events employing the officers. The department's total budget that year was 77 million dollars. The police department has played a role in the city's efforts to reduce homelessness. As part of the Homeless Liaison Program,
630-442: The indie romantic comedy She Wants Me , and Hannah Montana: The Movie (the scene with Lilly's birthday party). During the earthquake in the movie 2012 , the pier can be seen sinking beneath the waves. The Natalie Wood film Inside Daisy Clover (1965) features the pier in the beginning of the picture. The pier was also featured in the 2012 film version of Rock of Ages . The Glenn Miller Story with Jimmy Stewart has
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#1732847890834660-469: The police do a poor job of keeping track of their confiscated possessions, such that they rarely receive their items back once released from jail; while others have asked the police to pay more attention to crimes committed by homeless offenders against homeless victims. The department's Harbor Unit performs ocean rescues at the Santa Monica Pier . Santa Monica Pier The Santa Monica Pier
690-844: The popular book series The Dark Artifices by Cassandra Clare, the fictional Los Angeles Institute overlooks the Santa Monica Pier. Most of the major plot is set in this vicinity. The Santa Monica Pier has been used as a filming location for many decades. The amusement park attractions as they existed in 1930s are seen prominently in the Our Gang short Fish Hooky (1933). It also appears prominently in Tillie's Punctured Romance (1914), Quicksand (1950), Elmer Gantry (1960), 1941 (1979 film), The Opposite of Sex (1998), They Shoot Horses, Don't They? (1969), Night Tide (1961), Bean (1997), The Sting (1973), Farewell, My Lovely (1975) with Robert Mitchum , Her (2013), A Night at
720-595: The resulting rationing of building materials, the roller coaster was never built. It would have been located in the park next to what is now the Wave Swinger, and part of where Comet's lift hill is located. Though Bartlett and Miller went on to build several more Flying Turns-type coasters, PTC never proposed another. On November 27, 1991, Tom Rebbie and Bill Dauphinee purchased the Philadelphia Toboggan Company from Sam High (1934–2011), and incorporated
750-707: The world. ( Norfolk, Virginia ) ( Topeka, Kansas ) ( Milwaukee, Wisconsin ) ( University City, Missouri ) ( Fort George, New York ) ( Coney Island, New York ) ( University City, Missouri ) (Original Location) ( Philadelphia, Pennsylvania ) ( Canarsie, New York ) ( Detroit, Michigan ) ( Willoughby, Ohio ) Formerly Joy Ride ( Sunbury, Pennsylvania ) Hillcrest Park Kiddytown Most PTC carousels were numbered, so they are easily identified. Most have been moved from their original opening locations. PTC carousels that are still operating or in restoration: Formerly Rolling Green Park, Sellinsgrove, PA, (1944–1972) Beginning before World War II, PTC
780-474: Was acquired by the city in 1974. During the 1960s and 1970s, various plans were proposed that would entail removal of the pier. The most extensive included the construction of an artificial island with a 1,500-room hotel. It was approved by the City Council, but citizens formed "Save Santa Monica Bay" to preserve the pier. The order to raze the pier was revoked by the city council in 1973. Within that same year,
810-619: Was being used to repair the west end was dragged into the water and acted as a battering ram against the pilings. Over one-third of the Pier was destroyed. On May 25, 1996, The Santa Monica Pier welcomed its newest attraction Pacific Park. Pacific Park was the first new attraction since the 1930s. Construction began on December 2, 1994 and ended in February, 1996. On June 18, 2009, the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment issued
840-457: Was engineered by Herbert Schmeck , but experienced problems. The ride opened late in the summer and Schmeck stayed on site for some time before he was able to get the ride operating consistently. The ride was damaged beyond repair by a storm on September 21, 1938. Schmeck engineered a second Flying Turns for Hershey Park in August 1941. Due to the entry of the United States into World War II , and
870-569: Was granted a trademark on a new name, Philtobco. Developed by J. Norman Bartlett and John Miller , the Flying Turns coasters came to the attention of PTC. Recognizing the ride's potential, PTC signed a licensing agreement with Bartlett and Miller to market the ride in North America—with the exception of the state of California. With the arrival of the Great Depression , PTC built only one in 1931, at Rocky Point Amusement Park . The coaster
900-508: Was incorporated on January 20, 1904. It built and designed roller coasters until 1979. Notable designers included Joe McKee, John A. Miller , Herbert Schmeck , Frank Hoover, and John C. Allen . When Allen retired as president in 1976, the company stopped designing roller coasters but continued to work on coaster projects until 1979 when it exited the coaster-construction industry permanently. The company manufactured carousels known for their elaborate carvings and decorations. It expanded with
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