Politics & Government

Santa Monica's Names 1st Female Police Chief

Jacqueline Seabrooks had a long history with the Santa Monica Police Department before serving as the chief of police in Inglewood. She returns to Santa Monica May 1.

A 25-year veteran of the Santa Monica Police Department, currently serving as the top cop in Inglewood, is returning to town to serve as the city's first female police chief.

Jacqueline Seabrooks, a Los Angeles native, is expected to take the reins May 1.

She joined the Santa Monica Police Department in 1982, a year after serving as an officer with the State Police Division. At 19 years old, she was one of the youngest on the force, according to her biography.

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In Santa Monica, she was the first woman promoted as a police sergeant, and again, the first woman to be promoted to lieutenant in 1996, and to captain in 2000, her bio continues.

But it was her 4 ½ years as Chief of Police in Inglewood that have "tested her and proven her mettle," City Manager Rod Gould said in a statement. "While at Inglewood, she has provided great service to that community in stabilizing and improving law enforcement services, despite tremendous external scrutiny and budgetary pressures.”

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In Inglewood, a city bigger than Santa Monica with a population of 120,000, she oversees a budget of $43 million, as well as 188 sworn officers and 75 civilian employees.

In Santa Monica, she will manage a substantially larger department with a budget of more than $70 million and 443 employees, including 215 sworn spread across the divisions of administration, operations, special enforcement and criminal enforcement. She will receive a salary of $238,752.

“She is the right person to lead the department in this second decade of the new century," Gould said. "Her integrity, leadership and judgment have been validated consistently over her nearly 30 years in law enforcement. We are fortunate that she will return to do her best work yet in Santa Monica.”

She succeeds Timothy J. Jackman, who in the weeks leading up to his retirement March 2, was described as distinguished, highly intelligent and kind. 

“I am equally honored, humbled, and excited to accept this offer to work in the Santa Monica community as its next Chief of Police,” Seabrooks said in a statement.  “I am particularly happy to be joining a community that is so involved and leading a Police Department with great achievements in public safety. ”

Seabrooks has a Masters in Public Policy and Administration from California State University, Long Beach, and a bachelor's in Public Administration from California State University, Dominguez Hills.


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