Chief Luhnow Talks Immigration, Prop 64 in Meet and Greet Event

“The main goal is building a community, more of a tribe than a community, a group of people working together for the good of the group.” Santa Barbara Police Chief Lori Luhnow said this as she addressed community members who came to a meet and greet event hosted by the Santa Barbara Youth Council on Monday, November 14. Throughout the evening, Luhnow answered questions and introduced the community to her views on improving policing in Santa Barbara.

Luhnow first addressed fears of mass deportations under president-elect Donald Trump. “I have a feeling our council members will fight really hard against these ordinances,” she said of potential federal laws to round up and remove undocumented immigrants. “We won’t work with federal enforcement.” City Councilmember Cathy Murillo said she’s planning to talk to schools about safety plans regarding their undocumented populations. Luhnow also said, “We will maintain current procedures. We don’t look at immigration status. Our focus is that everyone is safe.”

Luhnow also discussed the department’s staffing levels. “We are 20 officers down,” she said of the SBPD roster, explaining she’s looking into starting a new volunteer program. She described participants as ambassadors for the department. Luhnow talked about community building as well and said, “To help engage the youth, I want them to see our officers as humans.”