‘Upfront’ with Santa Barbara Police Department features videos on operations

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - The Santa Barbara Police Department is releasing a series of videos to show its operational activities in several areas.

Sgt.Ethan Ragsdale said, it will show, "the inner workings within the police department,  why it is that we do some of the things we end up doing  and providing it in an easy  sharable format."

The first video is on homelessness and how the police department is handling issues relating to those without shelter.

Interim Police Chief Barney Melekian is featured in the video talking about the department and the services it offers along with the challenges it faces.

"I have been in the law enforcement business for a very long time," said Melekian. He says his efforts to deal with the homeless has been going on for 40 years. "It's more than just providing a place to live," he said.

He said mental health, housing and other services are necessary as a part of a community response to homelessness.

The new video is shot in Alameda Park which recently had a number of tents and homeless hang outs. It's also an area where families gather and where a children's area is located.

The city has been enforcing the overnight camping ban and other similar rules.

Ragsdale says the video show police collaborating with other agencies, "and especially focusing on working  with other organizations such as City Net,  and environmental services  for solving some of these problems that may not necessarily be directly police related.  The main idea here is the first contact when we have to deal with an issue shouldn't necessarily have to be a law enforcement figure.

Other episodes ahead will show how officers use NARCAN  to reverse the impacts of a drug overdose.   It has saved lives within minutes.

 There will also be a video on recruitment efforts and showing the different jobs available in the police department.

 The video episodes will come out once a month.  Some will be shot on patrol including the overnight shift where a different type of patrolling takes place.

Ragsdale said, "looking through the alleys, driving through neighborhoods, having that presence that really deters a lot of crime here  in the Santa Barbara community and those officers are doing it on  a nightly basis every day."

The Loma fire recently was an arson fire. It was in an area of homeless camps but was not specifically related to a camp, and instead, police say it was a fire started by a specific individual.

The videos will also show how officers are part of the front line response during major fires and other non-police emergencies.

The Upfront videos will be released on the city's YouTube page