Drew Sugars Named New Sheriff’s Department Spokesperson

The name accompanied by most news coming out of the Santa Barbara Sheriff’s Department will be changing, but it’s not an unfamiliar one.

Drew Sugars, who joined the department in March after leaving his position as longtime evening news anchor of Santa Maria-based KCOY, will be the new spokesman for the department, Sheriff Bill Brown announced Friday. Sugars will be replacing Sgt. Alex Tipolt, who had been on the job for roughly one year and is now heading to the department’s air support unit.

“Alex has done an outstanding job as our media spokesperson for the past year,” Brown said in a statement. “His dedication and professionalism in a difficult and important role has been greatly appreciated. Drew has some big shoes to fill, but I have no doubt that he will do us proud in his new and expanded role.”

Sugars had been a media specialist at the department and has a “vast amount of experience and expertise in the media field,” according to the department’s news release. Sugars will assume his position as public information officer Monday.