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MONDAY
06.05.17 Volume 16 Issue 175
@smdailypress
Police body camera project moves into research phase BY MATTHEW HALL Daily Press Editor
The Santa Monica Police Department has concluded the pilot program for body worn cameras and is now entering a research phase to determine if cameras should become standard equipment for all officers. SMPD began wearing cameras in September of 2016 and the sixmonth pilot program ended on March 11. “During the six months, select uniformed police officers and civilian personnel were equipped with these cameras,” said Lieutenant Saul Rodriguez in a press release. “The pilot offered an opportunity for SMPD to study the technology, to assess its usefulness in the com-
WHAT’S UP WESTSIDE ..................PAGE 2 ART SHOW ........................................PAGE 3 EARTH TALK ....................................PAGE 4 CRIME WATCH ..................................PAGE 5 MYSTERY PHOTO ............................PAGE 9
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Santa Monica Daily Press
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SS Viking and crew set sail one last time
munity, and determine its ability to enhance the Department’s goals and objectives.” During the trial period, officers participating in the program were encouraged to activate their cameras anytime they felt it was appropriate including any major incident, searches of people or property, during adversarial encounters or during large crowd control operations. Terry White, Chief Deputy of the City Attorney’s Criminal Division, said his office requested the footage whenever it was available and that it was helpful in corroborating written reports. “I do know that there are times, a lot of times, when police officers write reports and the defense gets SEE RESEARCH PAGE 6 Courtesy Photo
Downtown Community Plan heads to City Council KATE CAGLE Daily Press Staff Writer
Santa Monica’s massive new planning document has cleared a major hurdle and now heads to the City Council. The Planning Commission voted 6 to 1 Wednesday to approve the final draft of the Downtown Community Plan (DCP) with several recommendations that the Council can either keep or nix. “This is astonishing,” Commissioner Richard McKinnon said of the plan. “It’s extensive. It’s deep. I’m not certain any other city in the United States could have done what’s happened here. The outcome doesn’t always satisfy everyone but this is a forward looking document and it’s about managing the change that goes on in a city regardless of
what people want.” The DCP faced criticism from both sides of the development spectrum – slow growth activists complained it would result in a level of unsustainable development while lobbyists for developers fought for taller height allowances, fewer fees and less stringent affordable housing requirements. For the past thirty years, new buildings have been allowed to go up to 84 feet in the downtown area. The new guidelines in the DCP carve area between Ocean Avenue and Lincoln Boulevard and Wilshire Boulevard and Interstate 10 into separate districts. While new apartment complexes near the Expo Line will be able to reach the historic height, new developments
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DEPARTING: The SS Viking will not return next year following this year’s celebration.
MARINA ANDALON Daily Press Staff Writer
The iconic Santa Monica High School SS Viking is a symbol showing students that summer is here and graduation is near, but 2017 will be the final voyage for the popular tradition. Over 600 students will be attending this year’s Samohi Grad Nite 2017 on June 8. The rite of passage for graduates consists of food, various activities throughout the night and jumping on the SS Viking to an exotic destination, this year being Jamaica. Every year a group of men work together to construct the 28 feet tall and 34-foot long blue and gold ship. Fathers Chuck Kearsley, Chris Emhardt, and Woody Coleman direct much of the boat construction. They have dedicated nearly 20 years of work to provide an unforgettable experience for the graduating seniors. Year after year the boat and the men never disappoint, but as the boat continues to age, so SEE CREW PAGE 4
SEE DCP PAGE 6
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