SANTA MONICA—On October 10, the Santa Monica Police Department announced that the Police Officers Association of Los Angeles County awarded the department’s Traffic Services Unit the Excellence Award in Community Support. The award recognizes the unit’s role in the department’s response to the 2025 Pacific Palisades Fire.
As a result, all unit personnel, including the manager, officers, and supervisors, were recognized. The traffic unit developed Santa Monica’s Brush Fire Evacuation Plan. As the fire raged, the unit implemented traffic closures on the I-10 Freeway, the Pacific Coast Highway, Moomat Ahiko Way, and the California Incline. It also supported regional efforts and assisted with mandatory evacuations. The unit’s staff provided perimeter security and controlled access to affected areas.
It ensured that utility workers, essential personnel, humanitarian aid providers, and emergency response personnel could enter. The traffic unit continued these duties until National Guard personnel relieved them. The SMPD celebrates and congratulated the men and women of the Traffic Services Unit.
By Daniel Diquinzio