2023 Santa Barbara Police Department Community Academy
The Santa Barbara Police Department is now accepting applications for the 2023 Community Academy. The academy will run for 6 weeks, meeting every Wednesday from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. between May 10 – June 14, 2023.
The Santa Barbara Police Department Community Academy is an engaging and informational opportunity for community members to learn more about the inner workings of SBPD. Community members will be able to meet with both sworn and professional staff during the academy experience. Community members will engage in various law enforcement topics, discuss, ask questions, and participate in a behind-the-scenes SBPD experience.
This is also an outstanding opportunity for people interested in a career at SBPD or those who want to learn more about the Santa Barbara Police Department.
The Community Academy is at no cost to the participants, and experiences may include:
- Meeting the Chief of Police & Command Staff
- Station Tour & Interactive SBPD History Briefing
- New Police Station Update with Current Exterior and Interior Renderings
- Communications Center Tour
- Traffic Enforcement, Equipment & Collision Investigations
- Driving Under the Influence Investigations
- Community Action Team (e-bike patrol)
- Patrol Operations
- Police K-9 Demonstration
- Crime Scene Investigation & Fingerprinting
- Detectives & Investigations
- Professional Standards and Learning About the Complaint Investigation Process
- Mental Health Response Team
- Volunteers in Policing (VIPs)
- Police Officer Training Requirements (Inside look into the Police Academy)
- Employee Recruitment and Wellness
- Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s Office
- Force Options and De-escalation Scenarios (Virtual and role-playing)
- The opportunity to participate in police officer ride-alongs (Optional)
Visit our social media accounts, the Santa Barbara Police webpage, or click the link below to apply or obtain more information. You can also contact Sgt. Ethan Ragsdale with questions, eragsdale@sbpd.com or (805) 897-2432.