The Brief

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (CNS) - Santa Monica is looking for its next top cop Sunday after Police Chief Ramon Batista announced his resignation.

Batista announced Friday that he would step down effective Oct. 4. He did not give a reason. Batista said he had submitted a letter of resignation to City Manager Oliver Chi.

Plans for a successor were not immediately clear.

Batista became chief on Oct. 18, 2021, taking over from Jacqueline Seabrooks, who assumed the post on an interim basis after former Police Chief Cynthia Renaud retired in the wake of criticism for the department's response to riots that broke out amid protests over George Floyd's murder in Minneapolis in May 2020.

"I know this announcement may surprise you, but I want you to understand it comes after careful t

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