Santa Barbara Police Union Endorses Challengers in City Council Race

The Santa Barbara Police Officers Association (POA), the union representing city police officers, announced it will not be endorsing any of the incumbents seeking reelection to the City Council. The POA is instead backing challengers Randy Rowse for mayor, Barrett Reed for District 4, and Nina Johnson for downtown’s District 6. Pointedly not receiving the POA endorsement is incumbent mayor Cathy Murillo and councilmembers Meagan Harmon (opposed by Johnson), Kristen Sneddon (opposed by Reed), and Eric Friedman (opposed by no one).

While the POA praised the experience and support of Rowse, Reed, and Johnson, union president Eric Beecher castigated the incumbents for what he termed their lack of interest and support for rank-and-file cops. “In the last year and a half, our council has fostered a culture of distrust in our police officers and not honoring the professional and dangerous work they do every day,” Beecher wrote. “Morale is at an all-time low and number-one reason was the lack of support from our city leaders,” he said, adding the department’s operational strength is down 30 of 141 budgeted positions.

As a result, he said, violent and property crime has gone up throughout the city over the last two years, and acting chief Barney Melekian ordered “a reduction in responding to calls for service.” Beecher added, “The lack of leadership from Mayor Murillo and current city councilmembers has never been so apparent in the last two years from lack of decision making, numerous lawsuits, and the dysfunction of City management.”