The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office has reportedly sent 32 personnel from its Sheriff’s Response and Special Enforcement Teams to Los Angeles.
The sheriff’s office says that on Sunday evening, it received a mutual aid request from the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services to assist in the response to ongoing immigration protests in L.A.
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Sheriff’s officials say the deployed personnel are providing security for buildings in the downtown area.
In a statement, Sheriff Bill Brown said, “Members of the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office are not engaged in immigration enforcement activities in Los Angeles, but rather our role is to assist allied law enforcement agencies and help them ensure the safety and security of their communities in response to these violent disturbances.
“The events unfolding in Los Angeles, other cities in California, and across the nation are far from peaceful First Amendment protests. We are witnessing destructive attacks on private property and targeted attacks on law enforcement officers, both of which are completely unacceptable. Our agency remains committed to ensuring public safety and supporting our law enforcement partners and the Southern California community. Over the past 15 years, Santa Barbara County has repeatedly benefited from mutual aid resources from both the city and the county of Los Angeles during our front country wildfires, and we are reciprocating with our support in their time of need. We hope for a swift restoration of order in Los Angeles, allowing all law enforcement personnel to return to their homes safely.”
The San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office says it has not received a request for mutual aid.
