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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
Sheriff’s Detectives Arrest Santa Maria Man for Online Exploitation of Minors; Additional Survivors Sought. Read more here:
Sheriff's Detectives Arrest Santa Maria Man for Online Exploitation of Minors; Additional Survivors...
Proud to Protect and Serve Santa Barbara County The men and women of the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office ...
www.sbsheriff.org
Please follow this link for information about an upcoming bicycle and pedestrian safety operation:
Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Operation Planned for June 3rd – Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office
Proud to Protect and Serve Santa Barbara County The men and women of the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office ...
www.sbsheriff.org
SBSO Instagram Feed
✂️ Ribbon cut. Partnership launched.
The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office was proud to celebrate the grand opening of our new Montecito Office at Rosewood Miramar Beach. This innovative public-private partnership creates a closer operational presence in the community, helping improve responsiveness while strengthening relationships with residents, businesses, and visitors.
Thank you to our community partners and everyone who joined us for the ribbon cutting. We look forward to serving Montecito from this new location for years to come.
🎓 Congratulations to our eight newest academy graduates! 👏
After months of hard work, determination, and dedication, these recruits have successfully completed the Allan Hancock College Law Enforcement Academy and are one step closer to serving our community. 💚⭐
We were proud to have so many members of the SBSO family there to celebrate this important milestone and welcome them to the team. 🤝
Congratulations on this well-earned achievement, and best of luck as you begin the next chapter of your law enforcement careers! 🚔
Sheriff Bill Brown was honored to recognize Noah Moctezuma Cortez for achieving the rank of Eagle Scout, the highest rank in Scouting America.
As a member of Troop 87 in Orcutt, Noah demonstrated outstanding leadership, service, and dedication through years of hard work and commitment. For his Eagle Scout service project, Noah refurbished the kindergarten playground at Patterson Road Elementary School, creating a lasting benefit for local students and the community.
Congratulations, Noah, on this remarkable accomplishment and for embodying the values of service, leadership, and community involvement. We wish you continued success in all your future endeavors.
#EagleScout #ScoutingAmerica #Orcutt #CommunityService Leadership
Torch Run 2026! 🔥 The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office was proud to join law enforcement agencies from across the region for this year’s Law Enforcement Torch Run benefiting the Special Olympics. 💙🏃♀️🏃♂️
Thank you to everyone who participated, donated, volunteered, and cheered along the route. Your support helps create life-changing opportunities for athletes throughout the year.
The miles may be behind us, but the impact continues. Thank you for helping us support the athletes and mission of Special Olympics. Together, we continue to carry the Flame of Hope. 🔥
Join us for a great meal and an even greater cause at Tip-A-Cop benefiting the Special Olympics Southern of Southern California Santa Barbara Region ! 🍝🚓
Come out to Petrini`s Italian Restaurant on Wednesday, May 27 from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. and let local law enforcement serve your table - tips collected during the event will help support year-round sports training and competition opportunities for athletes with intellectual disabilities.
📍 14 W. Calle Laureles, Santa Barbara
🗓 Wednesday, May 27, 2026
⏰ 5 p.m. – 9 p.m.
Bring your appetite, your friends, and your support for an incredible cause! ❤️🍽️
🏆 Congratulations to Sheriff’s Lieutenant Christopher Gotschall and Sheriff’s Sergeant Sandy Frausto on being honored tonight with the prestigious H. Thomas Guerry Awards for Superior Performance by the Santa Barbara Citizens’ Council on Crime. 👏
Lt. Gotschall was recognized for his exceptional leadership and lasting impact on recruitment, retention, and organizational development within the Sheriff’s Office Human Resources Bureau. His efforts helped modernize hiring processes during some of the agency’s most challenging staffing years. His distinguished career also includes multiple commendations for bravery and service, including two Sheriff’s Medals of Valor and the California State Peace Officers Medal of Valor. 🇺🇸
Sgt. Frausto was honored for his life-saving actions during a missing person investigation in the Santa Ynez Valley. Using his personal knowledge of the missing individual and the surrounding remote terrain, Sgt. Frausto located the man in critical condition after an apparent overdose. His quick thinking, decisive action, and coordination of emergency response efforts were instrumental in saving the man’s life. 🚔❤️
We are proud of both honorees and grateful for their dedication, professionalism, and service to our community. ⭐️
Last week, Sheriff’s Dispatchers were recognized with @sbcfire first-ever Unit Citation Award for leading the successful training and transition of all fire and AMR dispatch services to the Regional Fire Communications Center (RFCC).
Their leadership and coordination behind the scenes helped ensure a seamless shift for critical emergency services—work that makes a real difference in moments that matter most.
This week, we proudly recognize National Correctional Officers Week and honor the dedicated men and women who serve in our custody facilities with professionalism, compassion, patience, courage, and unwavering commitment. This week, members of our custody team were recognized by the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors with a Resolution commemorating the week, and with a BBQ lunch celebration in appreciation of their service. 👏
As Sheriff Bill Brown shared in his message to personnel, corrections is a difficult profession that often requires staff to manage challenging and unpredictable situations with self-discipline and professionalism, while also helping provide incarcerated individuals the opportunity to change their lives for the better. He also recognized the many professionals who support our jail operations, including counselors, records and administrative staff, cooks, utility workers, and medical and mental health providers.
Thank you to all of our custody professionals for the remarkable care and service you provide to our community every day. 💙
#NationalCorrectionalOfficersWeek #SBSheriff
