2022 SANTA MARIA POLICE ANNUAL REPORT

SANTA MARIA POLICE DEPARTMENT

Prepared By: Gina Avalos

The City of Santa Maria is a fullservice City with a City Council/City Manger form of government with over 700 employees, an annual budget of approximately $222 million and serves approximately 108,000 constituents. The City of Santa Maria is located on the beautiful Central Coast of California and covers over 23 square miles. The City has harmonious balance of maintaining costal and agricultural lands while promoting business. Santa Maria has been recognized nationally as an AllAmerican City by the National Civic League and offers reasonably price housing, community festivals, quality schools, and is in close proximity to beaches, cultural arts, a local airport, wineries, and higher education institutions.

Mayor Alice Patino

City Manager Jason Stilwell

City Councilmember Carlos Escobedo

City Councilmember Mike Cordero

City Councilmember Gloria Soto

City Councilmember Etta Waterfield

The Santa Maria Police Department strives to protect and serve all those who live in, work in, or visit the City of Santa Maria by providing professional police services through community partnerships. Under a philosophy of Community and Constitutionally Based Policing, the Department strives to maintain trust and deliver exceptional service to promote public safety and reduce crime.

The Department offers a full range of professional police services that include patrol operations, investigations, traffic enforcement, criminalistics, crime prevention, abuse prevention, and many other services necessary to ensure the development of a safer community. The Department’s policing philosophy promotes strength through interaction and mutual respect in partnership with the community to improve the quality of life for all persons within the City of Santa Maria.

It is my privilege to present the Santa Maria Police Department 2022 Annual Report. In alignment with the Departments Strategic Plan, a focused effort was placed on employee wellness, retention/recruitment, the enhancement of our law enforcement partnerships and community engagement/outreach. We serve a supportive community and I thank each of you for your service and commitment to public safety.

2022 YEAR END PERSPECTIVE

A total of 211,051 phone calls were handled by our Communications Center (average of 578 call per day), we responded to 85,967 calls for service (average of 236 calls per day) and our Records Bureau processed 14,581 reports (average of 40 reports per day).

Created a 19-hour Cadet Program to bridge the gap to full-time employment (recruit from our Police Explorer Post #115).

Partnered with Bakersfield Police Department/Police Academy. This partnership allows SMPD to expand from 2 to 4 Police Academies annually.

Created a Department Wellness Committee and identified and contracted with a vendor to deliver healthy meal options to Department employees beginning January of 2023.

Expanded our community outreach via social media and Public Service Announcements to better educate the community on topic such as traffic safety.

Department recruitment webpage completed (joinsantamariapd.com).

Partnered with FBI to combat human trafficking/child exploitation (Task Force).

Partnered with Project Opioid. This project was introduced by Sheriff Bill Brown to address the opioid crisis in our region.

Commissioned an independent audit of our Records Bureau to ensure best practices are in place and to maximize efficiencies.

Identified and solidified a contract with AXON for Body Worn Camera’s and Tasers with implementation expected in summer of 2023.

Partnered with National Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) to aid in investigations with the goal of reducing gun violence.

Expanded our License Plate Reader Program (ALPR’s) from 31 to 131 readers. This technology has provided more than 526 investigative leads in 2022.

Commissioned an independent audit of our Property & Evidence Room to ensure best practices are in place and to maximize efficiencies.

COMMANDER DANIEL COHEN

CHIEF OF POLICE MARC SCHNEIDER

COMMANDER JACK DUNN III

COMMANDER JESSE SILVA

LIEUTENANT PAUL VAN MEEL

LIEUTENANT RUSSELL MENGEL

LIEUTENANT TERRY FLAA

LIEUTENANT WOODROW VEGA

LIEUTENANT ELIGIO LARA

SERGEANT II JESUS VALLE

DANIEL RIOS

BUSINESS PROGRAM LEADER

CHRISTINA ALVAREZ

SARA PEET

SERGEANT II

BUSINESS PROGRAM LEADER

2022-23 GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

Focus efforts to promote Department recruitments by utilizing the Department’s dedicated recruitment webpage, social media platforms, and job fairs.

Expand outside partnerships with Local/State/Federal agencies with the goal of enhancing service to reduce crimes in areas such as gun violence, child exploitation, human trafficking, and substance abuse.

Hire specialized professional staff to support the sworn compliment in order to increase efficiencies in the areas of technology and crime prevention.

Identify, acquire, and begin to implement body-worn cameras for all uniformed officers to meet best practice standards and enhance transparency within the community.

Collaborate with community partners and create strategically placed report writing stations in the center and northern areas of the City and use technology to increase police presence/visibility and strengthen relationships within the community. The objectives are to achieve greater efficiencies with officers physically remaining in the field longer instead of driving south to the Police Station to write reports.

Continue to expand Automated License Plate Readers system as a crime deterrent, and to aid law enforcement in criminal investigations by placing in additional tactical locations on various streets. This furthers the City’s Smart City, Safe City goal. By May 2022 the Department had deployed 90+ of these devices, with a goal of 135 by mid-year.

Enhance training among public safety dispatchers in the use of the Everbridge mass notification system to alert the community in the event of critical incidents in alignment with Smart City, Safe City initiatives.

Complete an audit of the Property/Evidence Division to ensure best practices are being met and maintain proper chain of custody of evidence.

Create a Police Cadet program to provide an internship program, promote recruitment, and further the Department’s succession planning.

Promote traffic safety via a social media campaign to inform and educate the community on the dangers of impaired driving.

SERGEANT PATROL

LIEUTENANTS PATROL

Marc Schneider

OFFICERS PATROL

K-9

MANAGEMENT ANALYST: BUDGET

LIEUTENANT PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT

SERGEANT TRAFFIC

ACCOUNTS CLERK OFFICERS MOTORS

OFFICEASSISTANT ADMIN

RECORDS SUPERVISOR

SENIORRECORD TECHNICIANS

RECORDS TECHNICIANS

MANGEMENT ANALYST:TRAINING

OFFICERS MOTORS

OFFICEASSISTANT TRAINING

CRIMEANALYST

SERGEANT:SET

OFFICERS:SET

LIEUTENANT: INVESTIGATIONS LIEUTENANT: CSU/COMM CENTER DISPATCHERS

SERGEANT: DETECTIVEBUREAU

DETECTIVES

COMM CENTER LEADS

SERGEANT:CSU

BEAT COORDINTORS

CRIMELAB SUPERVISOR

CRIMELAB TECHNICIANS

PROPERTY& EVIDENCETECHS

SCHOOLRESOURCE OFFICERS

CO-RESPONSE OFFICER

COMMUNITYOUTREACH COORDINATOR

POLICESERVICE TECHNICIANS

Jesse Silva

Jack Dunn III

Chief of Police

Operations Commander Support Division Commander

Daniel Cohen Administration Commander

Administration Division

The Administration Division is led by Commander Dan Cohen. The Division was restructured in 2022, to include the Training Bureau, Records Bureau, Business Office, and the Department’s Crime Analyst. The Administration Division is also responsible for recruiting, hiring, purchasing equipment, payroll, financial contracts, and the budget.

NOTABLE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF 2022

Created a recruitment website www.joinsantamariaPD.com.

Expanded drone program to improve officer/citizen safety.

Signed contract with Axon Taser to implement a body-worn camera program in 2023.

Created a Police Cadet Program to bridge from the gap for Police Explorers, until they become eligible for Police Officer positions.

Awarded a Grant from CA POST to facilitate a Supervisorial Team Building Workshop in line with the Department’s strategic Plan.

In final stages of testing online citizen reporting, to go live in early 2023.

Expanded Automated License Plate Reader Program to include approximately 150 devices City-wide.

Acquired a tactical robot to improve safety during dangerous situations.

During 2022, to fill vacancies created by retirements, resignations, and the addition of new positions, the Department hired 39 employees

• 22 Police Officers

• 5 Dispatchers

• 4 Police Service Technicians

• 3 Records Technicians

• 3 Consultants (Limited Service)

• 2 Provisional Police Officers (Limited Service)

Training Bureau

In 2022 the Training Bureau was managed by a Business Program Leader and two professional support staff, who coordinated and managed the Department training program and sworn recruitment for the year 2022. With COVID protocols and procedures loosening, training opportunities were abundant this past year. The Departments training plan ensures best practices are maintained to keep our community and Department personnel safe.

In calendar year 2022, our sworn staff received approximately 4300 hours of training, whereas our professional support staff received approximately 950 hours of training. Our Department hosted 10 training opportunities from various vendors across the state and nation. Of particular note, training topics that were focused on this year were De-escalation, Active Shooter Response, Use of Force, Critical Incident Management, and Peer Support/Officer Wellness.

In addition to the very important training our personnel received in 2022, recruiting for new officers and professional staff was at all time high as well. Our past recruiting efforts for the Police Trainee position (full sponsorship in the AHC Academy), were highlighted by also adding a secondary academy for additional recruiting efforts. The Bakersfield Police Academy staff have welcomed our recruits with open arms, which has afforded our Department to post continued sponsorship recruitment, instead of relying on only two potential academy start dates afforded by Allan Hancock College. To date, we have been able to place five recruits in the Bakersfield Academy, with our Allan Hancock sponsorship continuing to be successful at nine new recruits throughout the 2022 year. We have also added public safety dispatchers to our Communications Center, Police Service Technician cadre, Property & Evidence, Detective Bureau, and Records Unit. Recruiting continues to be active and a top priority for continued service to the members of the Santa Maria Valley.

Business Office

The financial operations of the Santa Maria Police Department are managed by a Business Program Leader (BPL), who reports directly to the Administration Commander and is responsible for managing the Operating Budget, Capital Projects, and Grants. As the liaison between the Police and Finance Departments, the BPL ensures the Department is in compliance with all financial operating policies, procedures, and facilitates all Department purchases.

The Police budget represents approximately 40% of the City of Santa Maria General Fund. The General Fund is primarily funded from general tax revenues such as sales and property taxes. Taxes pay for services that provide a general benefit to the community, such as public safety, recreation and parks services, and development services. The City’s Police Department budget for total service programs in FY 2021-2022 is $48,009,523, with allocations of $35,610,306 and $12,399,217 from the General Fund and Measure U respectively.

GENERAL FUND BUDGET BY PROGRAM

MEASURE U BUDGET BY PROGRAM

SOURCES OF FUNDING

Records Bureau

The Records Bureau is staffed with eight technicians and one supervisor. They serve the public and Police Department by processing, maintaining, and distributing all police reports, as well as, handling all public information requests. Over the last year, the unit processed over 14,000 internal police reports in addition to the many records requests that come from the public. The unit also underwent a performance audit by an external subject matter expert, which resulted in praise for the hard work and dedication by its personnel.

Many of the recommendations that came out of the review have been put into place. As a result, the Records Bureau is in the process of recruiting and hiring additional technicians.

Crime Analysis Unit

The Crime Analysis Unit (CAU) is tasked with collecting and interpreting crime data to assist in determining Department-wide operational needs. The unit also maintains internal Department statistics related to overall organizational performance. The CAU utilizes mapping technologies that keeps officers informed as to the latest crime trends and the frequency in which these crimes happen at specific locations. Using a data focused approach is critical to maximizing the efficiency of our resources.

During its first full year in operation (2022), the CAU researched over 150 requests for crime information, produced over 90 crime bulletins/trends reports, and completed over 205 data amendment / correction projects.

Operations Division

The Operations Division is led by Commander Jesse Silva and is the largest segment of the Department. The Division includes the Patrol Bureau and Traffic Bureau. These two Bureaus are comprised of several smaller units to include Uniformed Patrol, SWAT, Crisis Negotiations Team, Range Team, K9 Unit, Traffic Unit, and Explorer Program.

The overall mission of these units is to ensure the safety of residents, businesses, and visitors to the City of Santa Maria by responding to calls for service, proactive policing, and community involvement. Having this in mind, members of these units participated in numerous community events, responded to countless priority and non-priority calls for service, performed a variety of traffic enforcement details, assisted allied agencies during critical times of need and did so with professionalism, empathy, and pride. Over the course of the year, the Patrol Bureau also saw the addition of 12 entry level officers and five lateral officer. This welcomed addition allowed the Department to fill vacant supervisor promotions and allocated resources to such units as the Detective Bureau and Community Services Unit.

O P E R A T I O N S

PATROL BUREAU

Members of the Patrol Bureau recognize that the most important product they offer is highquality service to the community. Officers continually strive for excellence, performing their duties with competence, compassion, and professionalism.

The Patrol Bureau serves as the foundation of all police services. There are currently 72 police officer positions allocated to Patrol, including one K9 officer, 11 Sergeants, two Sergeant II’s, and two Lieutenants. The Sergeant II’s and Lieutenants act as Watch Commanders on various shifts, while the Sergeants provide direct field and station supervision to the officers. In between handling the ongoing calls for service, officers conduct proactive enforcement throughout the city, which includes enforcing traffic, drug, and weapons violations, conducting follow-up investigative work on their cases, and searching for and arresting wanted persons, among other duties and tasks. Officers of the Patrol Bureau complete numerous hours of training throughout the year to stay current on best practices in the law enforcement profession and maintain a high level of proficiency with perishable skills.

The City of Santa Maria is divided into three Areas. Area one covers everything from the city’s northern city limits, south to Fesler St. Area two encompasses everything south of Fesler St. to Stowell Rd. and Area three includes everything south of Stowell Rd. to the southern city limits. Patrol officers provide 24 hr. service to all 23 ½ square miles of Santa Maria.

TRAFFIC UNIT

The Traffic Unit is committed to the safety of the motoring, pedestrian, and bicycling public. The Unit’s mission is to enforce the California Vehicle code, educate the public and work with Traffic Engineers to reduce collisions and prevent fatalities. This year, the Traffic Unit partnered with the Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) on grant funded details directed at fulfilling the mission of enforcement and education. As a part of the OTS partnership, the Traffic Unit was able to conduct five DUI Checkpoints, 20 DUI Saturation Patrols, two Traffic Safety Presentations, and one Warrant Operation.

During 2022, the Department sent Traffic Officers to the Advanced Traffic Collision Investigation course, Traffic Collision Reconstruction course and hosted three Basic Police Motorcycle Academies.

All Traffic Officers earned the Mothers Against Drunk Drivers (MADD) award which requires 25 or more DUIs for the year. In November, it was announced that Traffic Officer Andy Brice will be promoted to the rank of Sergeant in January 2023.

SPECIAL WEAPONS AND TACTICS TEAM

The Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Team’s mission is to save lives. Situations wherein SMPD SWAT will typically be employed include: Barricaded or contained suspect(s) who are believed to be armed, hostage incidents, sniper situations, potentially violent persons who are believed to be armed, high risk arrest and search warrants, and protection operations involving high risk persons or sites.

SMPD SWAT is comprised of 16 team members and one police canine officer. Assignments within the team include team leader, scout, breacher, long rifleman, and chemical agent grenadier. In addition to any Department wide tactical training, SMPD SWAT trains 20 hours per month. In 2022, SMPD SWAT served eight highrisk search warrants and provided undercover and overwatch security.

During 2022, SMPD SWAT Team was able to bring on two new team members and began updating equipment with new breaching tools, less than lethal launchers, and ballistic helmets.

CRISIS NEGOTIATIONS TEAM

The Crisis Negotiation Team (CNT) comprises of 11 team members. This FBI- trained team initiates constructive, active listening communication with suicidal persons, barricaded criminal suspects, and people in hostage situations. Team members are cross trained in all the respective roles associated with a deployment with the goal of using crisis intervention skills to safely resolve critical incidents.

In 2022, CIT assisted SMPD SWAT in serving eight high-risk search warrants and utilized their skills in approximately 300 contacts with criminal suspects and people in crisis. During 2022, CNT was able to add three additional team members and place them in the FBI Hostage negotiators course.

HONOR GUARD

The Honor Guard provides a range of ceremonial functions for civic events at the Department, throughout the City of Santa Maria, and in other jurisdictions when requested by outside agencies. In 2022, the SMPD Honor Guard team posted/presented the Colors at three community events and participated in one multi-agency Color Guard event. The Honor Guard is comprised of 12 Officers and four Sergeants and holds practices on a quarterly basis. The team models their drill and ceremony protocol after the United States Marine Corps and has a full complement of WW II-era M1 Garand rifles for ceremonies such as the 21 Gun Salute.

FIREARMS TRAINING UNIT

The Firearms Training Unit (FTU) is comprised of 11 certified firearms instructors. The unit welcomed a new Rangemaster, as well as three additional Firearms Training Officers, all of whom successfully completed a week-long Tactical Firearms Instructor Course.

This year, our Department’s range facility and classroom at Los Flores Ranch were utilized for all four quarterly trainings, as well as other in-house Department trainings and police related community events. The Santa Maria Police Council generously donated a brand new John Deere Gator Utility vehicle to the FTU, which significantly increased efficienc in transporting equipment and personnel a the range. Firearms Instructors provide training for weapons handling and skill necessary for the safe and proficient use o handgun, patrol rifle, patrol shotgun, and various less lethal options. The unit also provides Active Shooter training, patro tactics, tactical medical training, and de escalation through scenario-based training.

In addition to Department training, members of the FTU also participated in community active shooter awareness trainings and presentations for a variety of public and private entities.

PEER SUPPORT TEAM

The Peer Support Team (PST) has 15 members from various areas within our agency. The unit’s goal is to provide SMPD personnel with support in dealing with difficulties arising from personal or professional situations. PST recently partnered with Counseling Team International (CTI) and hosted two critical incident debriefs for significant cases our personnel responded to. All involved personnel attended the debriefs (patrol, dispatch, detectives, crime lab, etc.), and the response was unanimously positive. Looking ahead, PST will be hosting a Basic Peer Support Course and a Critical Incident Stress Management Training by Dr. Joel Fay in January 2023.

ARREST AND CONTROL UNIT

The Arrest and Control Unit (ACU) consists of one Sergeant and three Officers. The unit provides training in Department policy, legal updates, de-escalation techniques, selfdefense, weapon retention, handcuffing and searching techniques. The unit focuses on taking suspects into custody by providing deescalation techniques and the appropriate use of force applications.

2022, saw the ACU focusing on legal updates, such as Assembly Bill 392 and Senate Bill 230. Team members attended SB 230 Instructor School and the Gracie Survival Training Courses one and two. The California POST certified Gracie Course has become the unit’s core basis of training, as its techniques have proven to keep the officers safe during high intensity self-defense situations. The goal of the curriculum is to help Officers take suspects into custody with controlled force applications.

K-9 UNIT

The K-9 Unit works alongside patrol officers to respond to calls for service with a focus on intervening during in-progress crimes. These highly trained teams can search large areas to locate hidden suspects, conduct article searches, and search for missing persons.

During this year, the Department saw the retirement of K-9 Rowdi. Rowdi, a proud member of the Department with over six years of service, now enjoys the retired life as a family pet with his former partner, Sgt. Andres Lopez. With the retirement of Rowdi came the addition of three-year-old Malinois (half Shepard half Malinois,) Odin. This purchase was made possible with funding from the Santa Maria Police Council who fully funded the purchase of the K-9 and training for both Odin and his new partner, Officer David Kulp. Both successfully completed 12 weeks of training and were certified in the basic handler and firearm detection courses. Since successfully completing training, both Odin and Officer Kulp have reported for duty and are already making a huge impact in the community.

The K-9 program has proven to be a vital part of the patrol compliment and the Department looks forward to the continued success of the program.

Rowdi Odin

UNMANNED AERIAL SYSTEMS TEAM

The Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) Team is a new and developing program in law enforcement applications. The utilization of UAS during emergency operations increases situational awareness for decision-makers with real time information previously unavailable. The UAS allows for a rapid deployment aerial overwatch when searching or flying into buildings in dangerous situations. The team, which consists of nine principal operators, one Sergeant, and a Lieutenant, has been used in missing person cases, fleeing suspect searches, perimeter surveillance, interior building searches, evidence collection, and traffic accident reconstruction. During 2022, the team deployed on 80 operations or calls for service.

EXPLORER POST 115

Santa Maria Police Department Explorer POST 115 members are Santa Maria youth, between the ages of 14-20 years old, who have shown interest in the Department and are seeking careers in law enforcement. The goal of the program is to provide participants with a greater awareness of the law enforcement profession through training, competitions, and mentoring by officers. Most importantly, the program seeks to build character while developing responsible, caring, and successful adults through participation and community engagement. The Santa Maria Police Explorer POST was comprised of eight Explorers and two Police Advisors. The POST competed in two state competitions this year and won eight awards ranging from first to eighth place. The POST also volunteered over 300 hours at various events within the Santa Maria Community.

Support Division

The Support Division is led by Commander Jack Dunn, III and encompasses the Detective Bureau, Special Enforcement Team (SET), Crime Lab, Property/Evidence Unit, Community Services Unit (CSU), and the Communications Center.

Over the course of the year, the Support Division experienced numerous commendable investigations, an increase in personnel allocations, partnerships with outside law enforcement agencies and acquired new technologies, which proved instrumental in developing key evidence necessary to pursue prosecutable cases. 2022 also brought staffing challenges to the Division in the form of dissolving the SET team and a reduction in personnel assigned to the CSU, to include suspending our School Resource Officer Program, to maintain patrol minimum staffing levels. The start of 2022, saw the Division’s leadership focusing on ways to supplement the Detective Bureau, High Tech Crimes Unit (HTC) and the Crime Lab by augmenting its rank’s by pursuing civilianized positions through the City’s Annual Budget Process.

As a result, the HTC gained a Digital Forensics Examiner and the Crime Lab’s complement increased by an additional Criminalistics Technician. The Division also gained three specialized Limited-Service Consultants to assist with special projects. By the end of the year and as a direct result of the Department’s aggressive recruitment campaign, the Support Division is well on its way to replenishing its CSU and Detective ranks by filling vacancies incurred by staffing shortages and promotional opportunities. 2023 will see the addition of a Property Crimes Unit and the implementation of two Gang Intelligence Detectives to fill the void created by the absence of the SET team.

DETECTIVE BUREAU

The Detective Bureau (DB) serves as the primary investigative section of the Police Department and is tasked with investigating criminal cases, identifying/apprehending offenders, and preparing cases for prosecution. It includes the Violent Crime Unit, Special Victims Unit, High Tech Crime Unit, and the newly developed Property Crime Unit.

The DB is staffed with a Lieutenant, two Sergeants, 16 Detectives, an Investigative Specialist, and a limited-Service Consultant II. In partnership with the County of Santa Barbara District Attorney’s Office, a Deputy DA Liaison and Victim’s Advocate are also housed within the DB.

VIOLENT CRIMES UNIT

The Violent Crimes Unit (VCU) is responsible for the investigation of crimes of violence, such as murders, attempted murders, robberies, and shootings. In 2022, the City had eight murders, all of which were investigated by the VCU. Two of these homicide investigations resulted in the arrest of the suspect(s) and the remaining murder investigations are active with significant suspect leads. Additionally, the unit investigated 109 shootings, 38 of which resulted in injuries and seven were fatal. To combat the rise of firearm related crimes, the unit continued to develop and implement in-house procedures for processing firearm related evidence, which has helped to develop further investigative leads and to identify firearms that have been utilized in the commission of violent crimes within our city.

The VCU test fired a total of 150 firearms that had been recovered as evidence, which yielded a total of 47 preliminary correlations identified through the NIBIN database. VCU Detectives have also utilized the newly integrated Flock License Plate Reader system to identify suspects and investigative leads in several investigations, including homicides. The unit continues to integrate new technology which is advancing the sophistication of the criminal investigations conducted by this unit.

2022 Statistics

SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT

The Special Victims Unit (SVU) is responsible for the investigation of crimes of a sensitive nature. Those crimes include Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC), child abuse, sexual abuse, and domestic violence. Within the SVU, there are two Detectives who work human trafficking (HT) cases and manage 290 PC Sex Registrants. The SVU Detectives collaborate with outside agencies such as Rape Crisis, SART, and Child Welfare Services during their investigations.

In addition to their daily caseload, the SVU takes a proactive approach by participating in various operations with the Santa Barbara County Human Trafficking Task Force, FBI Task Force, and Santa Barbara County Parole.

In 2022, the SMPD partnered with the FBI by adding an SVU Detective to their Central Coast Crimes Against Children Task Force (CCCACTF). The mission of the CCCACTF is to investigate creators, possessors and distributors of child sexual abuse material and the forced labor of adults and children on the Central Coast.

PROPERTY CRIMES UNIT

The Property Crimes Unit investigates property crimes including burglary, auto theft, criminal damage to property, fraud, embezzlement, and forgery cases. The unit currently consists of an Investigative Specialist and a Limited-Service Consultant and will see the addition of a Detective at the start of 2023. As the Department continues to fill vacancies, the PCU will gain more personnel in an effort to enhance the Department’s service to our community and curb property crimes.

142 Cyber Tips received 39 search warrants 8 arrests

1 Op with Santa Barbara County HT task force

1 Op with FBI task force

2 compliance operations

290 PC Sex Registrants

CRIME LAB

The Santa Maria Police Department Crime Lab is responsible for crime scene response, evidence processing, processing of weapons for NIBIN testing/cartridge case acquisitions, serial number restoration, latent print comparisons, courtroom testimony, photo-documentation of injuries, and training of law enforcement officers with basic field processing techniques.

2022 has been a very productive year for the Crime Lab Unit. The three Criminalistics Technicians and Supervisor have been essential in providing professional support to Criminal Investigations Detectives and Patrol Officers, including the District Attorney’s Office and other law enforcement agencies. A fourth Criminalistics Technician has been hired to work in the Crime Lab starting January of 2023.

In 2022, members of the Crime Lab participated in the following training: NEC update training on the IBW5 latent print system, specialized NIBIN acquisition training from the ATF, Crime Lite Auto Camera Kit training, uses and functions of the DOJ Vacuum Metal Deposition system, and handson serial number restoration training from the ATF.

This single piece of equipment allows Criminalistics Technicians to photograph injuries sustained by individuals in half the time it takes using a digital camera in conjunction with separate alternate light sources

Additionally, the Crime Lab received a generous donation of $45,974.64 from the Santa Maria Police Council towards the purchase of a Crime Lite Auto camera kit and in-person product training. This compact digital camera contains a motorized multispectral filter wheel that allows the Crime Lab to easily detect and capture bodily fluids, latent prints, and trace evidence at crime scenes and in the laboratory.

2022 Statistics

Total Number of Reports: 587

Total Assignments: 864

Field Assignments/Call-Outs: 86

Lab Assignments: 205

Total Assignment Hours Worked: 3,183.22

Items Processed: 1234

Vehicles Processed: 52

Total Cases with Latent Prints: 219

Total number of Comparisons: 21,572

PROPERTY & EVIDENCE UNIT

The Property & Evidence Unit is staffed with three civilian Property & Evidence Clerks and is overseen by the crime lab supervisor. This unit is responsible for receiving, storing, releasing, as well as purging Property & Evidence items in accordance with Departmental procedures and California law.

At the start of 2022, the unit underwent an independent audit resulting in attention to available evidence storage space, timely dispositions/purging of evidence, employee training, and additional personnel needed to help with the unit’s backlog. As a result, the SMPD is actively working with the Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s Office to help streamline the disposition process of evidence. Two Limited-Service Consultants have also been hired by the Department to help facilitate the backlog.

Additionally, Property & Evidence Unit personnel have been able to attend several training courses including the following: body worn & in-car video training, search and seizure training, identification/proper handling of weapons, as well as attending a CAPE one day training course.

The Property & Evidence Unit continues to provide quality customer service to the public, evidence discovery to the District Attorney’s Office, and assistance to other law enforcement agencies on a daily basis.

Incoming Evidence: 8880

Incoming Found Property: 289

Incoming Safekeeping Property: 777

Incoming Property for Destruction: 194

Outgoing Evidence: 3862

Outgoing Found Property: 313

Outgoing Safekeeping Property: 798

Outgoing Property for Destruction: 179

COMMUNITY SERVICES UNIT

The Community Services Unit (CSU) is comprised of a Lieutenant, Sergeant, Beat Coordinators, Police Service Technicians (PST), Crisis Intervention Team, and the Outreach Coordinator. The CSU’s mission is to identify quality of life issues affecting the members of our community and provide solutions to those issues by employing a Community Based Policing approach.

BEAT COORDINATORS

Beat Coordinators (BC) are specially trained officers who are responsible to coordinate efforts to address ongoing or wide-spread issues throughout the city. These efforts often include working closely with other Police Department units, other City Departments, and outside private and government agencies.

In 2022, the units BC’s worked tirelessly to assist our community members and businesses owners with various safety concerns. They continuously worked on a wide array of projects, including homelessness problems, community events and presentations, safety inspections, tobacco retail license inspections, letters of authority inspections, California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Controllicensed (ABC) establishment inspections, and ABC license reviews.

POLICE SERVICE TECHNICIANS

In 2022, the SMPD hired four new Police Service Technicians (PSTs), who have been very instrumental in supporting our Patrol Bureau by handling crime reports, processing evidence, and addressing parking and abandoned vehicle issues throughout the city. The Department now has five full time PSTs.

CRISIS INTERVENTION TEAM

The mission of the Crisis Intervention Team, which includes a trained officer and mental health clinicians from Behavior Wellness, is to provide specialized support to community members who are experiencing a mental health crisis and increase public and officer safety in potentially dangerous situations. Interventions may include deescalation of a situation, preliminary assessment of an individual, referral to a mental health facility, linking persons to needed services and, when appropriate, follow-ups to ensure continued care and prevention. The team can also provide a safe, compassionate, and effective response to individuals with mental illness who are encountered by law-enforcement. This may include properly diverting them from unnecessary hospitalization and/or incarceration and prosecution, leading to a safer environment for them, and an increase in the safety of the public.

INCIDENT TYPE

Follow up after Patrol Response: 128

Citizen Behavioral Wellness: 87

2022 Statistics

In Progress Behavioral Wellness: 81

Other: 70

TOTAL: 366

OUTREACH COORDINATOR

During the latter part of 2021, the Department strengthened its commitment in cultivating community relationships by hiring an Outreach Coordinator, Gina Avalos. Gina works in cooperation with the Community Services Unit and is responsible for connecting the Department with the community. Some of her duties include cultivating partnerships and enhance methods for engagement with the local community, maintaining a calendar for outreach events and working closely with community partners to plan and execute various outreach events, such as National Night Out and the Department’s Spanish Community Academy.

Over 2022, Gina was instrumental in helping design the Department’s Recruitment Website, www.joinsantamariaPD.com, and fostered a fruitful Social Media Outreach Program, via Instagram (IG), Facebook (FB) and Twitter. Some of her notable outreach efforts included a PSA Campaign to inform and educate the community on traffic safety and the dangers of driving while impaired and “Traffic Tip Tuesday.“ Quarterly Traffic Safety PSAs to be looped in the SMPD lobby and our local DMV office is currently in development.

SOCIAL MEDIA STATISTICS

COMMUNICATIONS

The Communications Center provides 24/7 dispatch services for the Police and Fire Departments, and the City of Guadalupe. Dispatchers are responsible for answering and prioritizing incoming 911 calls, nonemergency calls, and administrative calls. Utilizing stateof-the-art technologies, the Center’s personnel handle over 200,000 incoming and outgoing calls every year.

The Communications Center is comprised of 15 Dispatchers and four Lead Dispatchers, who are the first-line supervisors on any given shift. In 2022, the Department hired two Lateral Dispatchers and one Entry Level Dispatcher. The Dispatch Team consistently goes through updates and training to keep current on systems and technology used in their profession. The Department is pleased to announce that the SPIDR Tech automated messaging system, which was implemented in 2021, continues to be a great success.

The Department has received much positive feedback from the public regarding the automated (English and Spanish) messaging, which provides cellular callers with their case or reference number, instructions on obtaining a copy of a report, and a link to victim services. SPIDR Tech has allowed the Department to maintain some form of communication with cellular callers to keep them informed and, in some cases, updated on a potential delayed police response. The City is currently working on a project to implement a new mass notification system, which is expected to go live in 2023. These modes of communication are just one aspect of how the Department is working to meet the needs of the community.

2022 CALLS FOR SERVICE

2022 RETIREMENTS

PROMOTIONS

In 2022, a total of seven Santa Maria Police Department staff were promoted That included two Police Sergeants, two Police Lieutenants, one Division Commander, and two Police Records Technicians. We want to congratulate Sergeants Andres Lopez and Gabriel Alvarez, Lieutenants Eligo Lara and Woodrow Vega, Division Commander Jesse Silva, and finally Senior Police Records Technicians Suzanne Clement, and Sandra Hernandez.

Vonda Damore Dispatcher II (24 years)

Brenda Cabonce Police Records Technician II (14 years)

Officer Michael Wheeler (17 years)

Officer Rafael Carrasco (7 years)

Sergeant Andres Lopez Sergeant Gabriel Alvarez

Lieutenant Eligio Lara Lieutenant Woodrow Vega Commander Jesse Silva

Police Records Technician Suzanne Clement

Police Records Technician Sandra Hernandez

2022 AWARD CEREMONY

In 2022, the Department held its Annual Award Luncheon to recognize all 2021 award recipients. The award recipients are as follows:

Employee's of the Quarter:

1st Quarter- Detective Mathew Silver

2nd Quarter- Officer Sofia Marques

3rd Quarter- Marie Sarri & Brooke Barnett

4th Quarter- Detective Shane Armstrong.

Certificate of Commendation: Detective David Kulp and Criminalist Technician Angela Jorge

Lifesaving Award: Officer Andrew Brice, Officer Mason Jackson and Nathanael Craven

Distinguished Service Award: Sergeant Robert Morris

Support Employee of the Year: Tiffany Alvarez

Dispatcher of the Year: Chan Leam

Officer of the Year: Kevin Ochoa

SANTA MARIA POLICE COUNCIL

The Santa Maria Police Department would like to thank the Santa Maria Police Council for its continued support and commitment in helping the Department supplement its equipment and training needs through fundraising.

A special thanks to our friend Etta Waterfield, who is retiring and moving to “Big Sky” Montana. Etta is one of the Council’s founding members and served as the Council's Executive Director. Your hard work, selfless dedication and commitment to the Santa Maria Police Department will forever be appreciated. Good luck in retirement!

In 2022, the SMPC purchased the following

Purchase of K9 Odin and training for K9 and Handler

Funded the 2022 SMPD Awards Luncheon

Custom SMPD Recruitment tents (2)

Transcend Robotics Robot

SWAT Helmets (20)

Brinc "Lemur" Tactical Drones (2)

Halligan Breaching Tools (2)

AARDVARK Tactical Kinetic Breaching Tools (KBT) (2)

Funded Explorer Competition and Expenses

Contributed to National Night Out on behalf of SMPD

Funded Post Critical Incident Services to SMPD Employees

Crime Lite Auto Camera Kit