Police Chief Announces Big Changes

Police Chief Lori Luhnow hit the ground running in her first presentation to the City Council this Tuesday, laying out changes she’s already made to the department in her first few months on the job. Luhnow eliminated the deputy chief position and is using the salary savings to pay for two new computer programs: one to track use of force by officers, the other to conduct crime-trend analysis. She also reported that the department, long plagued by staffing shortages, is now up to full force and that Santa Barbara City College funds are finally in place to begin the Student Neighborhood Assistance Program, which will crack down on noise offenders. Lastly, Luhnow announced the creation of “Affinity Cards” with photos, short bios, and links to videos of officers who talk about their hobbies, favorite books, and childhood memories so that the public sees them as “part of the community, not an occupying force.”