Santa Barbara Safety Guide Program Gets Council in a Funding Clash

The Santa Barbara City Council has the funds for more security plans in the core downtown area, but for now, it can not agree how to spend $150,000.

Earlier this year, the direction was to come up with a plan to assist police officers with personnel that could handle lower level problems and quality of life concerns. Those could be loitering, skateboard violations, squatters, and nuisance problems. In other cities like Long Beach, Santa Monica and Oxnard “safety guides” have been able to tone down those issues without a uniformed officer arriving.

The guides would be similar to security guards but they would not have a weapon or write tickets.

The Santa Barbara City Council is now putting the plan on hold until it can agree how the money should be spent. The choices after a lengthy debate include, funding a new officer, adding the two safety guides, or paying for more community service liasons who are part timers with yellow shirts, that work downtown, on the waterfront and on Milpas St. Those liasons keep a close watch on the streets, alley ways and call police when they see crimes or need assistance.

Some residents were concerned that having anything less than an officer would really have an impact.

“Because I don’t see that as a model as something that will work. To have someone with the job to clear up the “riff-raff” without the authority to do it,” said resident Carolyn Rice.

“The solution that they have now doesn’t work. Like down in front of the Habit (restaurant) they wall off the seating (on an art piece) so no one is allowed to sit. That is not a solution. I don’t know if the correct solution is to hire someone to scare them off, “said Rod Edwards while walking on State St.

One resident said she is cautious downtown and her concerns go up at night.
“On my bike I feel safe at night. I am worried about drunk drivers. I live near the railroad tracks and I don’t feel safe walking home at night,” said Lindsey Waldon a local resident and musician.

One man said adding more personnel other than police officers will still make a noticeable difference.

“I think it is a good idea. It frees up the cops for other needs. If they have good people skills. It just might work,” said Ruben Gutierrez.

The City Council will revisit the plan with new information in about a month.