Solvang and Buellton are exploring whether the Lompoc Police Department could one day provide law enforcement services in the two Santa Ynez Valley cities, as officials consider alternatives to their current contracts with the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office.
The discussions are still in the early stages, but officials say cost, staffing and the level of services available are among the factors being considered.
For longtime Solvang resident Jim Henderson, the possibility of a change brings questions.
“I think the sheriff’s department in Santa Barbara has done a good job,” Henderson said. “All in all, I’m hesitant to change over to that.”
Henderson said he wants to better understand how a potential partnership with Lompoc would work, including how it would be funded and how services such as booking would be handled.
Solvang City Manager Randy Murphy said the city’s interest in exploring alternatives is not a reflection of the deputies currently serving the community.
Instead, Murphy said the city is looking at whether it could receive a higher level of law enforcement service for the money it spends.
“It’s really a value proposition. It is not about individuals doing the work here. They’re all great guys. I know most of them, personally,” Murphy said. “It’s not personal. It’s the system. It’s the financial burden that it puts on city.”
Murphy said he began considering other options about three years ago while involved in negotiations for Solvang’s current sheriff’s office contract.
“I felt, and I’ve shared this with members of the sheriff’s department, it didn’t really feel like a negotiation,” Murphy said. “It was here, take it or leave it, and we didn’t have an option.”
Murphy said the cost of the contract has increased by about 100% over the past decade. He estimated the city’s cost for the current budget year to be in the neighborhood of $3.6 million.
Cost isn’t the only consideration.
“One deputy on duty for us at any one time is not enough,” Murphy said.
Murphy said Solvang does not have dedicated traffic or parking enforcement personnel at its current service level. The city could pay for additional services, he said, but its budget does not currently have the flexibility to do so.
“It’s really kind of one of the factors we’re looking at, is being able to get more, a higher level of service for the same or perhaps less cost,” Murphy said.
Those needs can become more noticeable as Solvang’s population swells with visitors.
Murphy said approximately 5 million people visit the city each year, with about 20% coming between Thanksgiving and New Year’s. During busy periods, he said the city can see tens of thousands of additional people in a day.
“And one deputy on duty at any one time obviously is insufficient for that kind of ratio,” Murphy said.
Murphy said Solvang generally does not experience serious crime, but pointed to crimes of opportunity and other enforcement needs associated with tourism.
Solvang’s current contract with the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office is set to expire June 30, 2027.
Murphy said the city hopes to have something more definite by February or March. If another agreement is not ready by the time the existing contract expires, he said Solvang could negotiate an extension with the Sheriff’s Office.
Lompoc Police Chief Kevin Martin said this is not the first time the possibility of providing law enforcement services in the Santa Ynez Valley has been discussed.
Martin said Lompoc was first approached about five or six years ago but was not in a position at the time to provide the service.
“Since that time, they have re-approached the city wanting to see what those costs would be,” Martin said.
Martin said staffing and infrastructure were two of the biggest obstacles then, but upgrades made in recent years have changed what the department is capable of providing.
Lompoc has upgraded its computer-aided dispatch, records management and jail management software to cloud-based systems. Martin said the department is also upgrading its radio technology to a digital encrypted system.
Martin also said Lompoc is launching a Drone as First Responder program, which could potentially be offered to Solvang or Buellton as part of an agreement. He said pilots would be able to operate drones in the valley from Lompoc because of the technology being used.
Staffing would still have to grow if the cities move forward.
Martin said the preliminary model being discussed for both communities includes one lieutenant, four sergeants, four corporals and 12 officers — a total of 21 sworn positions.
He said having sufficient staffing already in the valley would be important for officer safety, particularly on calls where two officers may be needed rather than relying on another officer to travel from Lompoc for backup.
“We are not going to be able to manage it with the staffing that I have now,” Martin said. “So we are going to have to hire some additional police officers.”
Martin said the contracting cities would be expected to cover the additional costs associated with providing those services.
“Both community leadership leaders are aware of that,” Martin said. “And that is something that we shared with them that they would have to front the cost on should we move forward with an agreement.”
Lompoc currently has 47 officers and is funded for 51, according to Martin. Three recruits are currently in the academy and are expected to graduate in December. If an agreement is eventually reached, Martin said the department would begin working with human resources to recruit the additional personnel needed.
Martin said expanding services could also benefit Lompoc. Some costs currently paid by the city, including portions of dispatch and department leadership, could be shared with the contracting communities. He also said having a larger pool of officers could give Lompoc more personnel to call back during a major incident.
No agreements have been finalized.
Martin said Solvang and Buellton would negotiate separately with Lompoc because each community may want different services. Those discussions could include options beyond patrol, such as community service officers or the Drone as First Responder program. Martin is expected to update the Lompoc City Council on the status of negotiations in October.
KSBY also reached out to Buellton City Manager Scott Wolfe for an interview. Wolfe declined to comment ahead of an upcoming public discussion but said all Buellton City Council members have visited with the Lompoc police chief.
“There are some important questions that have come from these visits that will likely be asked on the 24th and so I need to withhold comment until that public discussion has taken place,” Wolfe said in part.
A presentation on the proposal is scheduled for the Buellton City Council meeting on Aug. 24.
For Henderson, more information could help residents understand what a potential change would mean for their community.
“Where’s the money? You know, what’s transparency? And then, what’s it entail?” Henderson said.
