Annual Report 2009 - Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Department

Law Enforcement Operations
Law Enforcement Operations is responsible for providing primary law enforcement
services to approximately 200,000 people in the unincorporated
areas of Santa Barbara County and the contract cities of Buellton,
Carpinteria, Goleta and Solvang. In 2009 there were 115,543 calls for
service for the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office law enforcement
units; 22,150 reports were written and 9,469 people were arrested.
A Chief Deputy leads the three divisions within Law Enforcement Operations:
North County Operations, South County Operations, and Criminal
Investigations Divisions. Each division is under the direction of a Commander.
North County Operations Division
North County Operations Division provides law enforcement patrol, investigation
and crime prevention services to the unincorporated area of
northern Santa Barbara County and two contract cities, Buellton and Solvang.
Divisional boundaries extend north and east from the Gaviota Tunnel
to the San Luis Obispo, Kern and Ventura County lines. The North
County Operations Division stations are in Buellton, Lompoc, New Cuyama,
Santa Maria, and Solvang.
Buellton Station
The Buellton Station is located between Solvang and Lompoc and is commanded
by the Lompoc Station Lieutenant, who also serves as Buellton’s
Chief of Police. The station is staffed with field deputies, supported by
administrative staff, who are responsible for providing law enforcement
services for the City of Buellton and surrounding unincorporated areas.
As a part of patrol operations, deputies also handle all traffic problems
and accident investigations that occur within the city limits. Law enforcement
services are provided to the City on a 24-hour basis. The City of
Buellton also has a Community Resource Deputy who handles all business,
residential and community crime prevention and awareness programs
within the city limits. The city also has a motorcycle traffic deputy
whose goals and objectives are to improve safety by strict traffic enforcement
and education, therefore reducing the number of traffic accidents
and injuries.
Lompoc Station
The recently built Lompoc Station is staffed with field deputies, supported
by administrative staff, who are responsible for approximately 121
square miles of the unincorporated areas surrounding the City of
Lompoc, including the Mission Hills, Vandenberg Village, and Mesa Oaks
communities. As a part of patrol operations, deputies also interact with
law enforcement personnel at Vandenberg Air Force Base and the
Lompoc Federal Prison. The Sheriff’s Mounted Unit training facility is located
at the former Lompoc Station.
New Cuyama Station
The New Cuyama Station is located in the northeastern area of Santa
Barbara County, bordering San Luis Obispo, Kern, and Ventura Counties.
The station is staffed by two resident deputies who are supervised by the
Santa Maria Station on-duty field supervisor, with management responsibilities
for the New Cuyama Station resting with the Santa Maria Station
Commander. Based upon the rural and remote nature of the Cuyama
Valley, the two assigned resident deputies are frequently called upon to
provide assistance to the California Highway Patrol, the Department of
Fish and Game, and law enforcement personnel from neighboring county
agencies on a 24-hour basis. The deputies also receive reciprocal backup
assistance from neighboring agencies.
KEEPING THE PEACE SINCE 1850 12