Police chief swears in 9 volunteers
Release Date: July 8,2017
By CHASE CABOT, NEWS-PRESS CORRESPONDENT
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July 8, 2017
Chief Lori Luhnow swore in nine new members of the Santa Barbara Police Department newly created Volunteers in Policing program Friday at police headquarters.
Chief Luhnow thanked the nine volunteers for stepping up to help
keep Santa Barbara safe. She praised Howie Giles, a former professor at UCSB, for his role in creating the program and for enthusiastically volunteering to take the position of Volunteer Director.
Luhnow welcomed the volunteers onto the force with good humor.
"Don't go off in a police car on high speed chases" she said to laughter.
City Administrator Paul Casey said community policing initiatives like Volunteers in Policing can tighten bonds between the community and police and make the Department's job of keeping Santa Barbara safe easier.
The volunteers were selected for their enthusiasm, accomplishments and fields of expertise. Each volunteer is high accomplished, and brings something new to the department, Chief Luhnow said. Each volunteer has passed a background check and began training Friday afternoon.
Santa Barbara residents will soon see the volunteers helping to boost Santa Barbara Police Department's downtown presence, as well as encountering them as greeters in the lobby of the police station.
The City Council approved the concept of the Volunteers in Policing initiative in October.
