Public Safety in Goleta
A Talk with Retired Judge George Eskin
High on the list of what Goleta residents expect from city government is public safety. We want to feel safe from threats such as theft, damage, and violence. Concurrently we don’t want to live behind barricades or spend the entire city budget to ensure our safety.
Our first line of defense is having Goleta’s own police department. Under Goleta’s contract with Santa Barbara County, the Sheriff dedicates officers and detectives to patrol and solve crimes in Goleta. However, it’s well worth noting that the $8.2 million cost of these services consumes nearly 40 percent of Goleta’s $22.9 million operating budget.
Goleta crime rates are relatively low compared with other California cities, thanks in no small part to our Sheriff’s Office (and our county’s criminal justice system, including probation, prosecution, public defender, and related departments.) But the cost of policing services is projected to rise faster than Goleta revenues, essentially eroding funding so badly needed for services and infrastructure such as street repair, libraries, recreation, and a new City Hall.
