Making Community Involvement a Top Priority
By Carrie Lujan, Public Information Manager, City of Santa Monica
In the bright lights of
Studio 16, Santa Monica
Police Chief Jacqueline
A. Seabrooks animatedly
talks with the show host
as the director calls for
quiet on the set.
“And we are live
with Ask the Chief
in 5…4…3…2…1.”
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The red tally light on camera one
indicates that they are on, simultaneously
the phone lines light up, as residents from
across the city call in to ask questions and
express concerns to the police chief. She
handles the entire live show atmosphere
with composure, eloquence and a true
sense of caring for the residents of Santa
Monica.
“I think it’s important for the reach
of the police department to be broader
than just a series of community meetings,”
Chief Seabrooks explains. “Community
meetings are important, they give me the
chance to speak directly to the community,
but the challenge with the format is…they
are generally limited to those people who
show up because they are clearly interested in the