The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office has released the 2025 crime statistics for the communities it serves. Throughout the year, the Sheriff’s Office compiles information about crimes occurring within the areas served by our agency: the County’s unincorporated areas, Isla Vista, and the contract cities of Goleta, Carpinteria, Solvang, and Buellton. For tracking purposes, crimes are broken down into two major categories: Part 1 crimes, which are the most serious in nature, and Part 2 crimes, which include a number of lesser criminal offenses and some juvenile status offenses. Offense definitions can be found here.

Overall Part 1 crimes decreased from 2,187 incidents in 2024 to 1,982 in 2025, marking a reduction of approximately 9%. Violent crimes increased slightly from 406 incidents in 2024 to 421 in 2025, an increase of about 4%. This increase included increases in robberies and aggravated assaults, while reported rapes decreased compared to the previous year. Homicides increased from 1 in 2024 to 3 in 2025.

In Goleta, crime statistics from 2024 to 2025 indicate a decrease in overall crime. Reported Part 1 crimes decreased from 602 incidents in 2024 to 449 in 2025, a 25% decrease. Property crimes decreased significantly from 538 incidents in 2024 to 383 in 2025, a reduction of approximately 29%, including notable decreases in burglary and larceny-theft. Violent crimes increased slightly from 64 incidents in 2024 to 66 in 2025.

Read the full press release from the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office here.

Monday Evenings August 3 – October 12, 5:30 – 8:30 p.m. at the Goleta Community Center

The City of Goleta is pleased to announce that registration is now open for its next Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Basic Course. The first class will be Monday, August 3^rd. This course is designed to teach residents how to prepare for, respond to, and recover from emergencies. This high-demand program is offered nationwide and designed to empower residents with essential skills and knowledge to prepare themselves, their families, and the community for emergencies and disasters.

Goleta’s Emergency Services Coordinator Jason Levy leads the class along with first responders. He said, “This eight-session course breaks training into manageable weekly sessions that build confidence and knowledge over time. Because the timing of the next disaster is unpredictable, preparedness and education are essential, and attending CERT is an excellent next step.”

The interactive course is held on eight (8) Mondays at the Goleta Community Center (5679 Hollister Avenue). In order to participate, you must be able to attend all eight classes and be at least 18 years of age. Limited spots are available.

Training Dates: August 3, 10, 17, 31, Sept 14, 28, Oct 5 and 12
Time: 5:30 PM – 8:30 PM

This is a great opportunity for anyone who wants to feel more confident, equipped, and ready to help their household or neighbors during a disaster.

Participants will receive hands-on instruction on the following topics:

• Disaster preparedness and hazard awareness
• Fire suppression and utility control
• Basic first aid and triage
• Light search and rescue
• Team organization and communication
• Disaster psychology
• A realistic hands-on disaster simulation

Registration Details

You can register online here. Please note that registration requires an account. If you do not already have one, simply create an account by clicking the “Signup” link at the top of the registration page or click “Login” to be guided to set up an account. All signup registration information is confidential and used for the sole purpose of communications through the City’s Neighborhood Services Department.

This will be the last CERT Basic Course offered this year in Goleta; more sessions will be offered next year.

For questions or more information, please contact ESD.Training@cityofgoleta.gov.

Let’s Plan, Prepare and Get Connected

With the recentfires we have had in Simi Valley and Santa Rosa Island, it’s a perfect time to take a moment and make sure you are prepared for an emergency in our community. NOW is the time to take simple, proactive steps to protect yourself, your family, pets, and neighbors before disasters occur. The City of Goleta, together with our partners, provides practical tips and resources to help everyone become better prepared for all types of emergencies.

As a reminder, we do have a great new tool for Santa Barbara County to provide up to date information on emergency zones. Launched in August 2025, the Emergency Zones Map is a key resource that ensures you can access critical details at any time. In addition to this tool, here are some other important steps you can take to make sure you are prepared for an emergency.

Step 1: Have a Plan

Talk with your family or household members about what to do during different types of emergencies, such as wildfires, earthquakes, or power outages. Decide on safe meeting places, practice evacuation routes, and make sure everyone knows how to contact each other if separated. Writing down your plan and reviewing it regularly helps ensure everyone stays on the same page.

Step 2: Keep Supplies

Supplies give you peace of mind and support when resources may not be available. Build an emergency kit with essentials like food, water, medications, flashlights, batteries, and first aid supplies to last at least three days. Don’t forget items for pets, infants, or elderly family members.

When planning ahead for evacuations, or in case immediate evacuation is required, keep the 6 “P’s” in mind:

• People and Pets
• Papers, phone numbers & other important documents. Deeds, birth certificates and other irreplaceable documents should be in one location so these can be grabbed at a moment’s notice.
• Prescriptions, eyeglasses, and vitamins. You may be gone from your home for days, so be sure you have access to all your health-related items.
• Pictures and irreplaceable memorabilia.
• Personal computers or any information stored on hard drives and disks.
• Plastic (credit cards, ATM cards) and cash in small denominations.

Step 3: Stay Connected to Official Emergency Information Before, During, and After a Disaster

• Sign up for ReadySBC Alerts, or if you’re already signed up, confirm or update your account information this month.
• Explore the emergency zones map to better understand how to search your address and bookmark the webpage. Additionally, community members can download the Genasys PROTECT app in the Apple App Store and Google Play on their mobile devices. Mobile app users can choose to receive push notifications when a zone is activated during an emergency.

Additional information: For community members with kids, this can be a helpful way to start family conversations about safety and preparedness, and resources such as Emergency Planning for Kids can offer additional support. For individuals with disabilities and others in the access and functional (AFN) needs community, this can also be a useful way to begin conversations about safety and preparedness, Emergency Planning for AFN.

As we approach July 4^th, we want to encourage you to celebrate safely this Independence Day, whatever your plans may be. As a reminder, setting off fireworks is illegal in the City of Goleta and throughout most of Santa Barbara County. Illegal Fireworks put us all at risk because they can lead to fires, especially during our current high fire season. Additionally, every year hospitals see serious injuries caused by illegal fireworks. Goleta Police will be patrolling neighborhoods and enforcing illegal fireworks laws. Offenders are subject to hefty fines. You can also be legally and financially liable for injuries or for starting a fire. To report illegal fireworks call the non-emergency dispatch line at 805-683-2724.

Before the Boom: Prepare Your Pets for July 4^th

Fireworks can scare even calm pets. Santa Barbara County Animal Services is helping families prepare early with free microchips, crate loans, collars, ID tags, vaccine and microchip clinics, neighborhood pop-ups, and pet relaxation clinics before July 4th.

This year’s resources include:

• Free microchips
• Free collars and identification tags
• Free crates to borrow
• Lost pet prevention tips and checklists
• Guidance on creating a safe space for pets during fireworks
• Low cost resources for reducing anxiety and stress

For more information go to https://www.countyofsb.org/3872.

The Santa Barbara County Fire Department, and county fire partner agencies, Carpinteria-Summerland Fire District, Montecito Fire District, Santa Barbara City Fire Department, Lompoc Fire Department, Santa Maria Fire Department, and the Guadalupe Fire Department, announced the start of the 2026 High Fire Season for all areas of Santa Barbara County, effective May 25, 2026.

With the onset of High Fire Season, SBC Fire will suspend all burn permits issued for residential burning and hazard reduction. Simultaneously, the agencies will increase the deployment of resources to respond to vegetation fires as needed throughout the county.

During the High Fire Season, it is critical for residents, workers, and visitors to exercise increased caution and prioritize fire safety at all times. Santa Barbara County fire agencies emphasize the following key public safety measures:

Human-Caused Fires, Fire prevention is everyone’s responsibility.

The majority of wildfires are preventable and are often caused by everyday activities. During High Fire Season, everyone must use extreme caution when operating equipment or engaging in activities that could spark a fire. Note: many fires start near roadways.

• Avoid mowing, welding, grinding, or using power equipment during peak heat or windy conditions; ensure proper clearance, keep water and fire extinguishing tools nearby, and follow all safety guidelines.
• Never park vehicles on dry grass, as hot exhaust systems can ignite vegetation.
• Ensure you are not dragging chains when towing trailers.
• ALL fireworks pose a significant fire safety risk.

Vegetation Management: Create Defensible Space

• Property owners are urged to maintain defensible space by creating three key zones around homes and structures:
• Zone 0 (0–5 feet): Remove all combustible materials—leaves, mulch, wood piles, and other fuels—immediately around the home. Use non-combustible landscaping materials in this area when possible.
• Zone 1 (5–30 feet): Keep grass mowed to 4 inches or less, remove dead plants and vegetation, and maintain space between trees and shrubs.
• Zone 2 (30–100 feet): Thin or remove excess vegetation, prune tree limbs up 6–10 feet from the ground, and reduce plant density to slow fire spread.
• Access Zones: Maintain vegetation clearance along driveways and private roads to ensure safe access for emergency vehicles. Trim overhanging branches to at least 13.5 feet above roadways and maintain at least 10 feet of horizontal clearance.

Maintaining these zones not only increases survivability during a wildfire but also improves firefighter safety and access.

Home Hardening: Strengthen Your Structure

Flying embers can destroy homes up to a mile from the actual fire. Making small upgrades can significantly reduce

your home’s risk:

• Install metal mesh screens (1/8-inch) on attic and crawl space vents
• Replace wood shake roofs with Class A fire-rated roofing
• Cover chimneys with spark arresters
• Use dual-pane, tempered glass windows
• Remove combustible fencing connected to structures

Prepare and Act Early

Register for Emergency Alerts: https://www.readysbc.org

Ready, Set, Go is a three-step program helps residents understand what to do before, during, and after wildfire threats:

• Ready: Prepare your home and property before fire season by creating defensible space, hardening your home, and assembling an emergency kit.
• Set: Stay alert, know your evacuation zone, and be prepared to evacuate quickly if wildfire conditions worsen.
• Go: Evacuate early when told—don’t wait until the last minute. If you feel unsafe or conditions worsen, leave immediately. Never wait for official orders—early evacuation keeps you safe and allows firefighters to operate without added rescue risks.

More information is available in English and Spanish at: https://sbcfire.com/ready-set-go.