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The Santa Maria Station is located in the northern most area of Santa Barbara County, bordering San Luis Obispo County, and is commanded by Sheriff’s Lieutenant Ugo (Butch) Arnoldi.
The station is staffed with a team of dedicated deputies and professional support staff who are proud to serve and protect the residents who live in the community. The stations jurisdiction is a challenging area to provide law enforcement services simply because of its size and significant spread and distance between the communities in the Santa Maria Station’s area.
The Santa Maria Sheriff’s Station covers approximately 800 square miles of unincorporated area surrounding the City of Santa Maria, and includes the communities of Orcutt, Gary, Sisquoc, Casmalia, Tepesquet, Tanglewood and Los Alamos. Along with initiated, proactive enforcement operations, deputies assigned at the Santa Maria Station respond yearly to more than 15,000 calls for service from the public.
Santa Maria Station deputies are responsible for general law enforcement and Coroner duties in all unincorporated county areas associated with the station. Like the other Sheriff’s Stations throughout Santa Barbara County, the Santa Maria Station houses an investigative unit assigned to the Criminal Investigative Division, which provides follow-up investigations of major burglaries, thefts, and violent crimes occurring in the area.
Deputy Robert Samaniego is the full-time School Resource Deputy at Righetti High School and Delta High School. Senior Deputy Samaniego has over a decade of experience with the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office and was a recipient of the 2015 Sheriff’s Office Meritorious Service Award.
Senior Deputy Samaniego has collateral assignments as a Field Training Officer and a member of the Sheriff’s Hostage Negotiations Team (HNT). He is a trusted and integral member of the school staff, working closely with students and staff for nearly two years.
Santa Maria Sheriff’s Station
812-A W. Foster Rd.
Santa Maria, CA. 93455
Phone: (805) 934-6150
Dispatch non-emergency after hours: (805) 683-2724
Hours of Operation
Monday- Friday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM (closed from 12 -1p.m. for lunch)
Saturday – Sunday: Closed
Live-scan and Sheriff’s Records services are available, as well as Operation Medicine Cabinet.
Righetti High School parking permit information – HERE
Righetti High School parking permit application – HERE
SBSO X Feed
Man Cited for Trespassing After Jumping Fence Into Jail Perimeter While Eluding ICE. Read more here: https://www.sbsheriff.org/man-cited-for-trespassing-after-jumping-fence-into-jail-perimeter-while-eluding-ice/
SBSO Instagram Feed
Last week, Deputy Danny Skall was named Public Safety Officer of the Year by the Carpinteria Lions Club. 🏆🦁
Fun fact: His father, retired Sergeant Mike Skall, received this same award in 1998.
Congratulations, Danny — well deserved! 👏🚓
The work of the Bomb Squad is painstaking and methodical, requiring extreme patience, specialized training, and attention to detail. These deputies are called when situations are at their most dangerous, and their careful, deliberate approach is what keeps everyone safe.
Out in Cuyama, things look a little different. 🌄
Our Cuyama substation is staffed by resident deputies — meaning they don’t just patrol this community, they live here. They know the backroads, the ranches, the families, and the history.
In a rural area where backup can be miles away, relationships matter. And in Cuyama, those relationships run deep. 🤝
Small station. Big commitment.
The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office invites community members to join Deputy Morrell, the new Community Resource Deputy assigned to Isla Vista, and Lieutenant Schmidt for coffee on Thursday, March 19, from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. at Kozy Coffee – 6560 Pardall Rd.
This informal event provides an opportunity for residents, students, and local business owners to meet with Deputy Morrell and Lieutenant Schmidt, ask questions, share concerns, and learn more about public safety efforts in Isla Vista. Deputy Morrell and Lieutenant Schmidt will also answer questions related to Deltopia and the revised noise ordinance.
Working together to keep our community safe. 🤝🔒
Members of the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office recently partnered with the United Boys & Girls Clubs of Santa Barbara County to provide facility safety training for their team. Trainings like this focus on practical strategies for recognizing potential threats, improving situational awareness, and strengthening emergency preparedness so staff feel confident responding to a variety of situations.
Strong community partnerships are a key part of public safety. By collaborating with organizations like the Boys & Girls Clubs, we can help ensure the spaces where local youth learn, grow, and spend time after school remain safe and prepared. 💙
#SBSheriff #CommunityPartnerships #SafetyTraining #BoysAndGirlsClub
📚💚 Today, our team joined the students at @herewegrowelc Preschool to celebrate Read Across America with a special story time.
Moments like these are a great opportunity to connect with kids in a positive way and encourage a lifelong love of reading. Thank you to our friends at Here We Grow for welcoming us into your classroom! 📖✨
#ReadAcrossAmerica #CommunityConnection #SBSheriff #ReadingMatters
When tragedy strikes on our roadways, answers matter. ⚠️
The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office Major Accident Response Team (SMART) responds to serious injury and fatal collisions with one goal: to determine exactly what happened. ⭐️🚓
These highly trained deputies use advanced investigative techniques including scene mapping, total station measurements, evidence documentation, vehicle inspections, and data retrieval from onboard vehicle systems. Every tire mark, debris field, point of rest, and impact angle is carefully analyzed to reconstruct the sequence of events with precision and professionalism.
Their work is methodical, scientific, and often painstaking. It can take hours at the scene and weeks of follow-up analysis. But for victims, families, and the courts, accuracy matters.
Behind the traffic cones and flashing lights is a team committed to facts, accountability, and bringing clarity during some of the most difficult moments our community faces.
#SBSO #TrafficSafety #CrashInvestigation #PublicSafety
*UPDATE: class is full- stay tuned for the next offering 📺*🚔✨ Ever wondered what happens behind the badge?
The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office is now accepting applications for our Community Academy—a hands-on, behind-the-scenes look at law enforcement in Santa Barbara County!
👮♂️ What you’ll experience:
📜 History of law enforcement
⚖️ Criminal law & patrol tactics
🗣️ De-escalation communication
🧪 Forensic evidence collection
This program is perfect for community members who want to learn more about the Sheriff’s Office—or anyone considering a future in law enforcement. Get an inside look at what it truly takes to serve and protect our communities.
📅 Class Schedule:
🗓️ Begins Monday, March 2, 2026
⏰ Mondays from 6:00 – 8:30 p.m. through May 4, 2026
📍 Primarily at the Lompoc Substation, with some sessions in Santa Barbara and Santa Maria
🎉 Graduation BBQ/Luncheon: Saturday, May 9, 2026
⚠️ Space is limited and classes fill quickly!
📝 Apply by Monday, February 16, 2026
🔞 Must be 18 years or older
👉 Apply now at www.sbsheriff.org or email 📧 CommunityAcademy@sbsheriff.org with questions.
🚓 Don’t miss your chance to be part of this exciting and educational experience!
