Items

• 2020-03-26

  Reduced level of police services

  Early on during the pandemic; I had a need to visit my old police department, Santa Barbara Police Department, in order to conduct my annual weapon qualification for my concealed weapon permit as a retiree. I was dismayed to find the police station shut to the walk in public. In addition, I learned that police officers were only responding to crimes in progress and emergencies of different kinds. All other contact had to be conducted over the phone. Such a reduced level of service has to have ramifications currently and down the road. Loss of personal contact between the citizen and officers will result in loss of information where as personal contacts often lead to obtaining unexpected criminal information. It’s a loss of opportunity to build trusting relationships. When little issues are not addressed by the presence of an officer; those little issues can grow to become significant problems. When officers are not dispatched to calls for service; citizens may decide not to call in the future. It’s well know that consensual contacts regarding minor issues often lead to felony crimes and arrests. So to some extent COVID-19 not only has a medical consequence it also has a public safety consequence.