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The Sheriff’s Office understands the importance of the special training and operations for persons with mental health and substance use disorders who are in crisis. Over the last 40 years, changes in mental health laws, closing of mental health facilities and law enforcement policies have brought law enforcement officers into ever increasing contacts with people who suffer from mental illness and substance use disorders. Local Santa Barbara County Law Enforcement officials have estimated that anywhere from 15- 60% of all calls for service involve some type of contact with a mentally ill subject.
The Sheriff’s Behavioral Sciences Unit (BSU) was formed to oversee cases involving mental illness and substance use, develop a Crisis Intervention Team and to build community partnerships to help adopt restorative justice principles to divert individuals from the criminal justice system and into treatment.
Our BSU developed an 8-hour and 40-hour P.O.S.T. certified Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) course where law enforcement learn about various mental illnesses, de-escalation techniques and local resources. a 36 hour course has also been created specifically for our custody staff. To date, the BSU has trained over 1,300 local law enforcement in CIT including; custody deputies, patrol deputies; dispatchers, University of California Santa Barbara Police Department, Santa Maria Police Department, Santa Barbara Police Department, Probation, District Attorneys office, Public Defenders office, and staff within Behavioral Wellness. We continue to offer the training to all local law enforcement agencies within Santa Barbara County and are proud to work with our partners at the National Alliance of Mental Illness and the Department of Behavioral Wellness.
The BSU is proud to have launched Santa Barbara Counties first county Co-Response program with our partners at Behavioral Wellness. We have three such teams operating in all parts of the county. Co-response is where CIT trained deputy and a mental health clinician or case worker from county Behavioral Wellness are partnered up and paired together to respond to mental health crises. Our three teams are currently grant funded through the end of 2022. If you would like to learn more about the BSU initiatives and programming you may contact Dr. Cherylynn Lee at (805) 681 4231, crl5034@sbsheriff.org (opens in a new tab)
If you or your loved one are expecting a mental health crisis and need to call 911
USE THIS CHECKLIST!
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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/
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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!
Congratulations to Acting Lieutenant Neil Gowing (center) on graduating from the Sherman Block Supervisory Leadership Institute! 🎓👏 This achievement reflects months of intensive leadership training focused on ethical decision-making, effective supervision, accountability, and leading with integrity. We’re proud of Acting Lieutenant Gowing’s commitment to professional growth and thankful for the leadership he brings back to our agency and the community we serve. 💙🚓
