Westside : Police Tell Council of Hunt for Rapist
Police officials have outlined to the Santa Monica City Council their search for a serial rapist and answered citizens’ charges that they have mishandled the investigation to find the so-called southside rapist.
Chief James T. Butts Jr. defended his department Tuesday, saying suggestions that investigators are not competent are unfounded and that the department is committed to finding the man, who is believed to have raped four women in Santa Monica since October.
Butts said a full-time task force of seven officers is looking for the man, new surveillance equipment is being used, and police have blanketed the southeast section of the city, where three of the rapes occurred, with 40,000 composite drawings of the suspect.
The City Council increased the reward to $50,000 for the arrest and conviction of the rapist.
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