Ramon Batista is currently the chief of the Santa Monica, California, Police Department, overseeing more than 400 members and a $100,000,000 budget. Chief Batista leads the most diverse department in the city of Santa Monica, one of the highest profile cities in Los Angeles County. The chief began his law enforcement career in 1986 with the Tucson, Arizona, Police Department and rose through the ranks, ultimately serving as the assistant chief. He was chief of police for the Mesa, Arizona, Police Department in July 2017.

Chief Batista retired from this position in Mesa in November 2019 after initiating community-based initiatives aimed at increasing public trust and relationship building. Simultaneously, Chief Batista championed officer wellness and resiliency programs aimed at ensuring officers’ long-term success, health, and safety.

In the summer of 2020, in the wake of the social justice movement, Chief Batista co-authored a book on his experiences in policing. Do No Harm focused on the importance of building a strategic roadmap that seeks better outcomes through the shared values between the community and the police department.

Chief Batista is a graduate of the FBI National Academy and the Police Executive Research Forum’s Senior Management Institute; he holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Public Safety and Homeland Security and a Master of Science degree in Leadership from Grand Canyon University. He has been a life-long champion for sensible immigration reform, and is a member of the Law Enforcement Immigration Task Force (LEITF) since 2015, most recently served as the LEITF’s law enforcement liaison from August to December 2021.