Field Operations Division

The Canine Unit provides improved police services at reduced costs by utilizing the abilities of specially trained dogs. The incredible sense of smell and the desire to protect, which the dogs possess, enable them to perform several law enforcement functions and reduce the number of police officers otherwise required.

S.B.P.D. canines are used most often to search buildings and open areas for suspects. They can provide protection to officers and offer an additional level of non-lethal force to apprehend violent suspects.

The canines are also capable of searching for lost persons and items at crime scenes. The abilities of the Canine Unit continue to expand and improve as the canine officers train with their dogs weekly.

Emergency dial: 9-1-1
Non-Emergency Phone: 805-882-8900

The Combined Communications Center (CCC) serves the citizens of the City of Santa Barbara 24 hours per day, seven days per week, and 365 days per year. Our Public Safety Dispatchers are here to answer calls for police, fire and medical services and are committed to providing timely, professional service. 

The CCC is housed in a newly renovated building located near downtown. It is equipped with multiple state of the art communications systems which include, Computer Aided Dispatch, Priority Dispatch System (Fire/EMS), Public Safety Radio, and a 9-1-1 call handling system. Each dispatch workstation is fully ergonomic which allows the dispatcher to complete all job functions from a seated or fully standing position.

The center is the primary public safety answering point for all Police, Fire and Medical calls in the City of Santa Barbara. Our dispatchers take pride in providing excellent emergency service and on average answer all 911 calls in under 5 seconds.  

Our Public Safety Dispatchers are recognized for the vital role they play in Public Safety. They respond to emergency calls, dispatch emergency professionals and equipment, and render life-saving assistance to our citizens.    

The CCC is overseen by a Communications Manager and 3 Public Safety Dispatch Supervisors.

For information on an exciting career as a Public Safety Dispatcher, contact the Human Resources Department at 805-564-5316 or visit on-line at Careers at the City. Current vacancies available for entry level and lateral Public Safety Dispatchers. 

"Becoming an Exemplary Dispatcher" authored by California Commission on Peace Officer Standards (POST) and Josephson Institute of Ethics. This resource provides you with an overview of the Public Safety Dispatch profession, and what to expect during the hiring and training process.

Co-Response Officers are primarily assigned to respond to calls for service that involve individuals experiencing a mental health crisis. These officers are partnered with a licensed mental health professional and aid in providing services to anyone experiencing a mental health emergency might need. 

The mission of the CNRT is to provide negotiators to the community who have been specially trained and equipped to diffuse critical incidents involving subjects who are suicidal, barricaded, hostage-takers or engaged in terrorist activities.

The use of negotiation during times when subjects are suicidal. barricaded, or have taken hostages, is widely recognized as a successful method of peacefully resolving such critical incidents. It is also recognized that some circumstances are non-negotiable, and the only realistic solution would lie with a tactical response. It is the intent of the Santa Barbara Police Department Crisis Negotiation Response Team to provide a highly trained and skilled negotiations team as a resource for the crisis management of critical incidents.

CNRT conducts training exercises twice a month. The team consists of half a dozen officers, two sergeants, and a police psychologist. 

DDT officers are specially trained to detect alcohol and/or drug impaired drivers. Their expertise also provides higher conviction rates and reduced court costs.

Their primary mission is the detection and arrest of people driving vehicles while under the influence of alcohol and/or other controlled substances. They are supervised by a patrol supervisor.

In addition to the drivers whom DDT officers apprehend themselves, they assist patrol officers with "Driving Under the Influence" (DUI) investigations. When a patrol officer has a possible DUI driver stopped, a DDT officer will take over the investigation, allowing the patrol officer to return to his other duties.

The DDT Team urges community members to have a sober driver, utilize taxis, or ride-share services if you are consuming alcoholic beverages. If you see an impaired driver, call 9-1-1. 

The Motorcycle Officers primary role is traffic enforcement. The Traffic Section is comprised of a Sergeant, Motorcycle Officers, and a Traffic Collision Investigator.

The Collision Investigator provides follow-up investigation on major injury and fatal traffic collisions. The assignment requires specialized training in collision reconstruction and advanced investigation techniques.

The Police Reserve Corps is a volunteer group who has gone through essentially the same selection process as regular officers. Reserve officers receive additional specialized training in order to assist specialty units on an as-needed basis. Many of the reserve officers have other careers and volunteer their time to assist the community. Some reserve officers have aspirations of becoming regular officers and find the Reserve Corps an excellent training ground to prepare them for a law enforcement career. These dedicated individuals provide thousands of hours of volunteer time to the city each year.

The Police Reserve Corps consists of men and women from a variety of professions who donate their time and effort to serve their community. The reserve officer is a sworn part-time police officer who performs a civic duty assisting the full-time officers in their assigned duties. They wear the same uniforms, drive the same cars, make the same arrests, and take the same risks as regular officers.

Only the best join the Santa Barbara Police Reserves. Be a part of a professional organization and serve your community in a unique way. Applications are accepted on a continual basis.

The Special Enforcement Team is comprised of one Sergeant and several Officers. Their primary mission is to conduct special field operations within the City of Santa Barbara. They focus on fugitive apprehension, gang prevention interventions, and repeat criminal offenders.

This specialized unit is trained in weapons and tactics to respond to critical incidents beyond the capabilities of normal patrol. The unit has two sergeants assigned as supervisors and sixteen officers. The unit is highly trained and skilled in resolving high risk incidents.

The SWAT team consists of 18 members who regularly train in live-fire entry techniques. Using state of the art equipment, the SWAT team is prepared to assist in the apprehension of dangerous fugitives, rescue hostages, and provide training and assistance in other high risk areas of law enforcement.

The Street Crimes Unit is comprised of one Sergeant and several officers. These personnel are a versatile and flexible unit that works special problem areas in the city. They vary their work schedules and deployment tactics based on the problems they are assigned to resolve. You will see them primarily riding police bicycles. 

The primary responsibility of SCU is street crime in the central and beachfront business districts. These officers are not assigned calls for service in order to allow them time to proactively address specific street crime and nuisance issues such as public intoxication, aggressive panhandling, homeless, and transient related criminal issues.

Although uniformed bicycle patrol is their standard method of operation, the Street Crimes Unit also utilizes uniformed foot patrol and plainclothes tactics to accomplish its mission.

The Department has made a major commitment to the utilization of bicycle and foot patrol as a regular deployment method. Bicycle patrol has been a positive public relations program as well as a very effective enforcement tool. Foot and bicycle patrol officers are deployed in the central business district and beachfront area on a regular basis and are used for special events (parades, athletic events, etc.) and selective enforcement operations. The Department has developed a State approved bicycle patrol training program and uses specially equipped professional quality bicycles.