4 - Venice Division Police Station  685 Venice Blvd.

4 - Venice Division Police Station

685 Venice Blvd.

In 1906, with the City of Venice growing, the Ocean Park Trustees formed a new police department, hiring officers for $65 per month. Officers maintained a daily journal, commonly known as a “blue book”, in which they recorded their daily activities. After annexation to Los Angeles, Venice police officers who could pass the City of Los Angeles Civil Service Examination were allowed to join the LAPD. The original division consisted of 4.10 square miles with 30 assigned police personnel. By 1929, the division had grown to 19.44 square miles and 46 sworn personnel.

A new police station was built in 1930. It is the only Art Deco police station in the city and the first public building constructed in Venice after annexation. By 1950, the facility was so small that the night watch would have to stand in the hallway while the day watch was getting ready to go home. Eventually the Detective Bureau moved to the city hall next door. The new Venice Police Station located at 12312 Culver Blvd. opened in 1973. In 1982, the LAPD and community leaders agreed to rename Venice Division as Pacific Division to reflect the entire community it served.

The former Venice Division Police Station now houses SPARC (Social and Public Art Resources) a cultural arts center specializing in public art. Some interior features still intact include mahogany reception desk, division offices and jail cells.

The Venice Division Police Station became Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument #595 on 4/26/1994.