Capitola Police Department

Capitola Police Department Official page for Capitola PD. Prior to posting ensure you read & follow the site rules. Proudly serving Capitola, CA. Comments not monitored.

Email [email protected]. For City communication, email [email protected]. Capitola is an intimate beach village tucked in a river valley in Santa Cruz County on the Monterey Bay. Located an hour away from San Jose and an hour and a half from San Francisco, Capitola enjoys a lively population full of tradition and an interesting history. With a population of approx 10,000 re

sidents, the population steeply rises between the months of April through September to approx 40,000-60,000. Prior to posting to this site ensure you read and follow the Terms of Use Agreement under General Information

DUI Suspect Leads Officers on Pursuit with 3-Year-Old Child in VehicleLate last night, Capitola Police Officers attempte...
09/05/2026

DUI Suspect Leads Officers on Pursuit with 3-Year-Old Child in Vehicle

Late last night, Capitola Police Officers attempted a traffic stop on an Acura sedan on 41st Avenue for a traffic violation. The driver refused to stop, leading officers on a pursuit in which he began driving recklessly the wrong direction at high speeds. Out of an abundance of caution for public safety, CPD officers terminated the initial pursuit in Aptos.

A short time later, California Highway Patrol (CHP) units located the Acura near the Seascape. When CHP attempted a secondary stop, the driver fled again, initiating a second pursuit that ended when the vehicle came to a stop near Hidden Beach County Park. A barricade situation emerged due to the driver refusing to exit and other tactical considerations.

Upon taking the driver into custody, officers discovered a 3-year-old child and ensured they were safe. The driver, a 41-year-old male from Las Vegas, was arrested and booked into Santa Cruz County Jail by CHP and CPD on multiple counts of felony evading, DUI, and child endangerment. A bail increase was requested by CPD and granted by a Superior Court Judge. The child’s 38 year old mother, also from Las Vegas, was taken into custody by CHP on separate charges. The child was uninjured and safely turned over to protective services.

We extend a huge thank you to chpsantacruz (including K-9 Officer Chip!), Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office, Santa Cruz Police, and CA State Parks, for their rapid assistance and resource sharing in bringing this dangerous situation to a safe resolution. Drive responsibly and never get behind the wheel impaired.

🔒 Gun Storage Check Week is September 1–7! 🔒The Capitola Police Department reminds all gun owners to check their secure ...
09/05/2026

🔒 Gun Storage Check Week is September 1–7! 🔒

The Capitola Police Department reminds all gun owners to check their secure storage habits. Storing fi****ms safely and securely, helps prevent tragic accidents, deters theft, and saves lives.

Take a moment to review your setup and ensure your home is safe. Learn more and access resources at GunStorageCheck.org. Make sure it's secure!

Wednesday night, Capitola Officers responded to a traffic collision on 41st Avenue involving a driver who was heavily in...
09/04/2026

Wednesday night, Capitola Officers responded to a traffic collision on 41st Avenue involving a driver who was heavily intoxicated and driving on a suspended license from a previous DUI. Fortunately, no injuries were reported. The driver was arrested on scene and booked into County Jail. A search of his truck revealed several open containers of alcohol.

Driving under the influence puts our entire community at risk. As we celebrate the Labor Day weekend, please plan ahead, use a designated driver, or arrange a rideshare to help keep Capitola's roads safe for everyone.

Yesterday, Capitola PD was joined on our streets by CHP and WPD for BADGES (Before Aggressive Drivers Get Everyone Stopp...
09/03/2026

Yesterday, Capitola PD was joined on our streets by CHP and WPD for BADGES (Before Aggressive Drivers Get Everyone Stopped), an ongoing traffic safety operation! 🚗🚴‍♂️🏍️

Our officers were focused on proactive traffic enforcement and education across Capitola—keeping an eye out for speeding, distracted driving, and right-of-way violations. The mission? Ensure our roads remain safe for drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians alike. Officers wrote around 40 citations and several verbal warnings for numerous violations.

A big thank you to everyone doing their part to travel safely through Capitola! Let’s keep looking out for one another. 🛑✨🤙

🚨 Parolee arrested 🚨Thanks to a report from a community member, officers recently responded to Park Avenue for a suspici...
08/27/2026

🚨 Parolee arrested 🚨

Thanks to a report from a community member, officers recently responded to Park Avenue for a suspicious vehicle. Officer located the involved RV and a known s*x offender registrant on active parole with a history of preying on youth in the area.

Officers swiftly conducted a compliance search, notified CDCR Parole Agents, and placed the suspect into custody for parole violations related to weapons. The suspect, who is not a resident of Capitola, was booked into the Santa Cruz County Jail where he remains. Capitola PD will do everything in our ability to protect children and the community at large from dangerous criminals.

This is a great reminder of how vital our partnership with the community is. If you ever see suspicious activity in your neighborhood, please don't hesitate to report it—your calls truly make a difference in keeping our City and youth safe for everyone.

🚨 A friendly reminder that vehicle capacity limits and seatbelt laws are not optional… 🚨Officers recently conducted a tr...
08/25/2026

🚨 A friendly reminder that vehicle capacity limits and seatbelt laws are not optional… 🚨

Officers recently conducted a traffic stop on a Ford Escape (5 seats) occupied by ten younger folks (all over 18). Not only were many passengers unbuckled, laying vertical, and generally stacked like firewood, they were intoxicated. The driver, a 23 year old male, was arrested for DUI.

Driving impaired is extremely dangerous on its own, but combining a drunk driver with an overloaded cabin full of intoxicated passengers without seatbelts is a recipe for tragedy.

Remember the basics before heading out:
🚗 Know the limit: Never exceed a vehicle's seatbelt or passenger capacity.
🔒 Buckle up: One seat, one belt—every passenger, every time.
🚕 Plan ahead: If everyone in your group plans to drink, arrange a rideshare, taxi, or reliable designated driver. Stay safe Capitola! 🚔🚘

08/20/2026

When disaster strikes, allied agencies come together without hesitation. A few of our officers deployed last weekend to assist during the Timber Fire. Assisting the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office, we worked night shift, from coastal patrols checking evacuated areas to providing security to the firefighters in the area!

Serving Capitola means stepping up for the surrounding region whenever needed. We are proud to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with our local public safety partners to protect the community!🌲🔥

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08/06/2026

Great times last Tuesday at National Night Out in Capitola 🚒🚓✨

Huge thank you to our community for coming out, meeting your first responders, and making the evening so special. From face painting, to hot dogs, to the climbing wall, the kids had a blast! A massive shoutout to everyone who helped bring this event to life including the Capitola Police Officer’s Association, Britannia Arms, Capitola Public Safety Foundation, Central Fire District, California Highway Patrol, Bay Federal Credit Union,Santa Cruz County Elections Department, and our incredible volunteers!

Events like this remind us how lucky we are to serve such a supportive town. Thank you for standing strong with us for a safer, closer community! 💙

💙 Thank You, Officer Erik Estrada! Please join us in wishing a fond farewell to Officer Erik Estrada, who finishes his l...
08/05/2026

💙 Thank You, Officer Erik Estrada!

Please join us in wishing a fond farewell to Officer Erik Estrada, who finishes his last shift today with CPD after his years of dedicated service to the City of Capitola!

Officer Estrada is lateraling to an out-of-county agency to pursue more opportunities in his law enforcement career. During his time with us, Erik proved to be a high-quality officer who made a daily impact on both our department and City. Beyond being a Patrol Officer, Erik served as a Defensive Tactics Instructor, WRAP instructor, and ran our STOPP program. Erik is known for his humble reliability, whether it was investigating yet another fraud report; or backing up his partners.

Erik, thank you for your hard work, leadership, and dedication to keeping Capitola safe. We wish you and your family all the best in this next chapter! 🚓✨

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Thanks to a generous donation from the Capitola-Soquel Chamber of Commerce, the Capitola Police Department will soon equ...
08/03/2026

Thanks to a generous donation from the Capitola-Soquel Chamber of Commerce, the Capitola Police Department will soon equip every patrol car with an Automated External Defibrillator (AED). This initiative was also made possible with Six-Minutes to Live, a local nonprofit dedicated to increasing awareness and training for sudden cardiac arrest, and Avive Solutions, a Bay Area-based manufacturer of innovative AED technology.

By placing AEDs in every patrol vehicle, Capitola Police officers will be better equipped to provide lifesaving care during cardiac emergencies, helping improve outcomes when every minute counts!

Address

422 Capitola Avenue
Capitola, CA
95010

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 5pm
Tuesday 8am - 5pm
Wednesday 8am - 5pm
Thursday 8am - 5pm
Friday 8am - 5pm

Telephone

+18314754242

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