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On 06/29/08 at approximately 7:30 p.m., Officers responded to the parking lot at 930 San Pascual on a report of subjects holding someone on the ground who had a gun. Upon arrival, officers saw the suspect, later identified as Damian Nolasco (20 years of age) flee the scene by jumping over a fence to the apartment complex. Officers continued their search for Nolasco and located him running through an adjacent apartment complex. Nolasco initially did not comply with officer’s commands to stop. He subsequently did so and was taken into custody.

Officers were able to piece together the events that led to the call for service. The suspect, Damian Nolasco, had attempted to rob three people for their cigarettes. When the victims failed to have any cigarettes, Nolasco produced a handgun, worked the slide, and pointed it at one of the victims. All three victims became engaged in a fight with Nolasco over the gun. They were able to take the gun away from Nolasco and then Nolasco ran away. The investigation revealed that the gun was a 9mm handgun which was loaded. Nolasco was transported to Santa Barbara County Jail and booked for attempted robbery and Assault with a Deadly Weapon.

SANTA BARBARA, CA - 6/30/2008 - On 06/28/08 at approximately 4:08 p.m., officers responded to the Harbor West Parking Lot, 1332 Harbor Way, on a call of a stabbing that had just occurred. Upon arrival, officers saw medics and fire personnel attending the 30 year old victim. The investigation revealed that the victim had been sitting in his vehicle when he was approached by two Hispanic male adults in their 20’s. One of the suspects addressed the victim by using profanities and then suddenly began stabbing the victim through the open car window. The victim could not provide any further description of the suspects or the motive for the assault. The victim received wounds to his upper and lower torso and was admitted to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital for non life threatening injuries.

SANTA BARBARA, CA - 6/24/2008 - THE SANTA BARBARA POLICE DEPARTMENT AND RAILROADS TEAM UP TO ENFORCE SAFETY: The Officer-on-A-Train program gives officers a first-hand look at dangerous and illegal behaviors locomotive engineers see on a daily basis.

In an effort to heighten awareness about the importance of rail safety, members of the Santa Barbara Police Department and Southern California Rail Safety Team (RST) will be working on an Officer-on-a-Train safety event along the tracks in Santa Barbara and outlying areas on Thursday, June 26, 2008. Officers from the Union Pacific Police Department and Santa Barbara Police Department will be observing railroad crossings and the right-of-way. Officers will be issuing citations to both drivers and pedestrians for rail-related code violations such as trespassing, failing to stop at a railroad crossing signal, and driving around down railroad crossing gates.

SANTA BARBARA, CA - 6/19/2008 - On Tuesday June 17, 2008, Santa Barbara Police Department Officers, along with two females, ages 15 and 17, worked a tobacco undercover buy operation. The hours of the operation were from noon to 8:00 p.m. The operation was funded by Santa Barbara County Public Health Department as part of their Tobacco Prevention Settlement Program. The purpose of this operation was to enforce Penal Code Section 308 (a) which makes it illegal to sell, give, or furnish tobacco products to any person under the age of 18.

The Officers formed two teams, each working with one of the female decoys. One officer worked in plain clothes, entering the store just before the decoy, so as to provide for her security and to observe what took place. The decoy would approach the clerk and ask for a particular brand of cigarettes. If the clerk asked for identification, the decoy would present her identification. If the clerk asked the decoy her age, she would tell the clerk her true age. If the clerk sold to the decoy, she would exit the store and give the cigarettes, change and receipt to the uniformed officer outside, who would enter the store and assist in issuing the clerk a citation, interviewing the clerk and taking photographs of the purchased cigarettes, change and any other evidentiary items. The cigarettes and change were returned to the store. The original buy money was collected to be used at the next location. During this operation, 40 locations were contacted. 7 citations were issued to clerks at the following locations:

Cantwell?s Market

AM/PM (1935 State St.)

Long?s Drug Store (3939 State St.)

7-Eleven (3430 State St.)

USA Gas (8 S Milpas St.)

Circle K (200 S Milpas St.)

SANTA BARBARA, CA - 6/10/2008 - On June 9th at approximately 3:53 a.m., officers responded to a stolen cab report that had just occurred at the Chevron Service station at 115 N. La Cumbre Rd. The victim had gone inside the station and left his keys in the ignition. A white male adult, described as a transient and later identified as Travis Ean Costa-Lopez, 22 years of age, drove off in the vehicle. The victim stated the he recognized the subject as the individual he had given a free ride the night before. Officers spotted the vehicle at State St and Las Positas. Officers attempted to initiate a traffic stop on the vehicle by activating their lights and siren. However, the vehicle did not comply and a pursuit began. The vehicle drove on Las Positas to Cliff Dr, then eastbound on Cliff Dr. During the pursuit, Costa-Lopez was obeying the traffic signals by stopping and using his turn signal. The vehicle was traveling approx 40 mph eastbound on Cliff Dr. He then turned southbound on Castillo St and then eastbound on Cabrillo Blvd. Additional officers responded and assisted with the pursuit. Costa-Lopez continued on Coast Village Rd and then eventually entered on to the freeway and headed South on the 101 freeway.

California Highway Patrol units took over the pursuit and set up a spike strip at Ventura and the 133 Hwy. Costa-Lopez drove around the strip and onto Hwy 133. He eventually turned back around and got back on the 101 southbound. He drove into Oxnard and Port Hueneme; he then entered onto Hwy 1 and continued southbound. Ventura Police Department, Ventura County Sheriffs, Oxnard Police Department and Ventura CHP were involved in the pursuit. Costa-Lopez eventually came to a stop at Topanga Canyon Rd and Hwy 1. The pursuit lasted about an hour. CHP units surrounded his vehicle and ordered him out of the vehicle. He was taken into custody without incident. Santa Barbara Police Department Officers transported Lopez-Costa back to Santa Barbara. He was booked into SB County Jail for Possession of a Stolen Vehicle and Vehicle Evading. The investigation revealed that Costa-Lopez is a transient out of the Los Angeles area and has been in the Santa Barbara a short while.

SANTA BARBARA, CA - 05/29/2008 - The Santa Barbara Police Department is pleased to announce that the latest class of D.A.R.E. students graduated Wednesday, June 4th, at the Arlington Theatre, 1317 State Street. D.A.R.E. in an acronym for: Drug Abuse Resistance Education. These 400 plus sixth and fifth grade students (from 8 schools) join rank with 17,000 others who have graduated since local inception in 1987. In addition to discussing the perils of drug use and violence, the D.A.R.E. program teaches responsibility and how to make good choices. Each student composed an essay explaining what they have learned. The essays were judged and a winner was selected from each school. The following students were selected as school essay winners:

Roosevelt Elementary School : Fiona Avery

Washington Elementary School: Andrew Sumner

McKinley Elementary School: Jatsiri Carrillo

Hope Elementary School: Carter Hudson

Harding Elementary School: Desiree Leonard

Adams Elementary School: Olivia Johnson

Notre Dame School: Alexis Villa

El Montecito Upper School: Brooke McGill

SANTA BARBARA, CA - 5/29/2008 - The Santa Barbara Police Department in its commitment to public safety and to combat criminal street gangs arrested Robert Joseph Martinez, 22 years of age, Joel Robles, 22 years of age, and Carl Samuel Flores Jr., 26 years of age yesterday for Conspiracy to Commit Homicide and Participation in a Criminal Street Gang. All three are known to be members of a criminal street gang. Santa Barbara Police Department Detectives developed information stemming from and on-going investigation that earlier this month resulted in the arrest of seven criminal street gang members for the murder of Lorenzo Carachure. The arrests of Martinez, Robles, and Flores Jr. are unrelated to the murder of Lorenzo Carachure.

Robert Joseph Martinez was arrested at his home on the 300 block of N. Soledad Street, Santa Barbara, Ca. Joel Robles was arrested at his home on the 600 block of Cedar Street, Ventura, Ca. Carl Samuel Flores Jr. was arrested via a traffic stop on the 1500 block of North Avenue, Lompoc, Ca. All are currently in custody at the Santa Barbara County Jail with bail set at $1,000,000.

SANTA BARBARA, CA - 5/28/2008 - THE 39th ANNUAL H. THOMAS GUERRY AWARDS RECOGNIZE EXCELLENCE IN LAW ENFORCEMENT FOR SANTA BARBARA COUNTY.

Top Awards for Valor and Superior Performance by local law enforcement are given each year in honor of Santa Barbara City Police Officer H. Thomas Guerry, who died in the line of duty at the age of 29 on January 3, 1970. Guerry joined the Santa Barbara City Police Department in 1962 as a patrolman. He transferred to the detective bureau in 1967 where he remained until his death. Guerry died in an exchange of gunfire after locating two armed robbery suspects near State and Ortega Streets. The Santa Barbara Citizens Council on Crime is a group of local volunteers who help the law enforcement agencies throughout Santa Barbara County honor their members who have gone above and beyond the normal call of duty. We are proud to recognize the outstanding performance of the above listed law enforcement officers for their personal contributions to the people of Santa Barbara County.

The 39th Annual H. Thomas Guerry Awards Ceremony were held on Thursday, May 29, 2008. The recipients of the 2008 H. Thomas Guerry Award for Valor:

Corporal Robert Ortega Guadalupe PD

Corporal Frank Medina Guadalupe PD

Officer Eric Andreasen Lompoc PD

Deputy Johnny Langehennig Santa Barbara Sheriff

Sergeant Marty Ensign Santa Barbara PD

Officer Keld Hove Santa Barbara PD

Officer Michael Claytor Santa Barbara PD

Officer Kenneth Kushner Santa Barbara PD

Recipients of Awards for SUPERIOR PERFORMANCE (includes Skill in Conflict Resolution):

Agent Milt Baldwin Lompoc Police Department

Officer Daniel Barba CHP (Santa Barbara)

Deputy D.A. Mary Barron SB Co. District Attorney?s Office

Detective Jose Borrayo UCSB Police Department

Officer Erin Cross SB Co. Probation Department

Officer Ryan DeJohn Santa Barbara Police Departmen

Officer Steve Fulmer CHP (Buellton)

Commander Thomas Jenkins Santa Barbara Sheriff

Officer Gary Steigler Santa Maria Police Department

Supporting Details for Valor Winners:

Corporal Robert Ortega and Corporal Frank Medina, Guadalupe PD

On May 3, 2007, Officer Frank Medina and Corporal Robert Ortega spotted a column of smoke coming from the Amtrak station. Upon arriving at the location, both officers found smoke pouring from the historic caboose located to the front of the railroad station property. A local homeless person had apparently started a fire in the stove inside the railroad car in order to stay warm. As the blaze grew out of control the officers heard coughs coming from inside the caboose. Acting rapidly, Corporal Ortega squeezed through one of the car?s windows and made his way through the car?s smoky interior to rescue the homeless person. Corporal Ortega located the victim who had lost consciousness, and, with the assistance of Officer Frank Medina, Corporal Ortega was able to remove the unconscious victim from the railroad car and begin to render medical assistance. The victim was treated at the scene and was later transported to Marian Medical Center where he was treated for smoke inhalation. Both officers, Frank Medina and Robert Ortega, are to be commended for their quick action and selfless response to a life threatening emergency. The officers, without regard for their own personal safety, rescued an individual who would have certainly perished if not for their quick actions. It is for this reason that Corporals Medina and Ortega are awarded the H. Thomas Guerry award for Valor.

Officer Michael Claytor and Officer Kenneth Kushner, Santa Barbara PD

On August 8, 2007, during the Fiesta activities, Officer Michael Claytor and Officer Kenneth Kushner were assigned to foot patrol duty in the 600 block of State Street. Due to the Fiesta event, there were thousands of citizens walking on the sidewalk and standing outside businesses on this block alone. These officers were two of several officers tasked with crowd control and keeping the peace in the downtown bar area that night. At approximately 11:30 p.m. Officer Michael Claytor and Officer Kenneth Kushner were monitoring the crowd in front of Hamburger Habit when a fight broke out on the sidewalk. The officers quickly stepped into the crowd of fighting people in order to break up the combatants. As the officers were restraining several of the combatants, a probation officer alerted them that one of the subjects had a gun. These officers then focused their attention to an agitated and hostile man who had drawn a loaded semi-automatic handgun. The suspect then advanced on the crowd and it became apparent that he was going to shoot into the crowd as he ignored the police officers? orders to drop the weapon. Officer Claytor and Officer Kushner were faced with a deadly situation and knew that they had no other options to prevent the suspect from shooting civilians on the crowded sidewalk. In order to save the lives of the innocent civilians, both officers placed themselves in harm?s way while firing their weapons at the suspect. The officers? controlled gun fire eliminated the threat before the suspect was able to fire his weapon. Officers Claytor and Kushner acted professionally and in split seconds were able to save the lives of untold numbers of citizens on the sidewalk. It is for this reason that Officers Claytor and Kushner are awarded the H. Thomas Guerry award for Valor.

Sergeant Donald ?Marty? Ensign and Officer Keld Kove, Santa Barbara PD

On September 28, 2007, Santa Barbara Police Officer Keld Hove responded to a routine call of a theft investigation at Ralph?s grocery store located at 100 W. Carrillo Street. Officer Hove walked into the store and noticed a transient standing to the front of the store carrying a bag. The transient watched Officer Hove while he reached into the bag he was holding. Officer Hove saw the suspect pull a handgun out of the bag. The suspect began waving the handgun in the air, yelling and confronting Officer Hove and making suicidal statements. Officer Hove was standing approximately 15 feet away from the armed man as he began a dialogue with the suspect and requested backup officers. Among the first on scene was Sergeant Marty Ensign. Sergeant Ensign engaged the suspect in negotiations from approximately 25 feet away using only a police car as cover. This allowed Officer Hove to take cover and assist in setting up a perimeter around the suicidal subject with the gun.
At the time of this incident the grocery store was open for business. The armed, suicidal suspect was presenting extreme danger to citizens and officers in the area. Sergeant Marty Ensign patiently spoke with the suspect who was holding the gun in the air. He was able to maintain the suspect?s attention as other responding officers were able to secure the store and evacuate citizens safely through a rear door. The Santa Barbara SWAT Team quickly responded and formed a tactical plan to subdue the suspect. As the tactical plan was implemented, Sergeant Ensign continued negotiating with the suspect who was behaving irrationally and continuing with his suicidal statements. It appeared the suspect was trying to force the situation into a ?suicide by cop? incident. Sergeant Ensign was able to keep the suspect from aiming the weapon as he spoke with the suspect for over an hour and fifteen minutes. The SWAT Team identified the weapon as a possible replica firearm. After a lengthy attempt to convince the suspect to drop the weapon, the SWAT Team and a Police K-9 unit approached the suspect. Suspect was shot twice with less-than-lethal bean bag shotgun rounds and was forced to retreat with the weapon still in hand as Police K-9 Brag brought the suspect down to the ground. Suspect was then taken into custody without further incident. Due to the teamwork and professionalism of the Santa Barbara police officers on scene, this dangerous and deadly situation was brought to a successful conclusion. Although all involved officers should be commended for their actions in this case, it is for the heroic acts of restraint and professionalism displayed by Sergeant Marty Ensign and Officer Keld Kove that they are awarded the H. Thomas Guerry Award for Valor.

Senior Deputy Johnny Langehennig, Jr. and Officer Eric Andreasen,
Santa Barbara Sheriff?s Department and Lompoc Police Department

On May 7, 2007, A Sheriff?s Deputy on bike patrol spotted a vehicle and individual matching the description of a carjacking and sexual assault wanted information bulletin. He was nearly run down as he attempted to stop the car. A broadcast was sent to other deputies that the suspect vehicle was heading west on Highway 246 towards Lompoc. Responding to the radio broadcast, Senior Deputy John Langehennig and other deputies positioned themselves along Highway 246 to intercept the suspect?s blue Toyota Matrix. Senior Deputy Langehennig found the vehicle travellng westbound at Campbell Road and confirmed that the license number was that of the previously reported carjacked vehicle from Santa Barbara.
Senior Deputy Langehennig initated a traffic stop at Highway 246 and Cebeda Canyon Road. The vehicle immediately accelerated away from the deputies, reaching speeds in excess of 100 miles per hour. The Lompoc Police Department was contacted regarding the pursuit nearing their jurisdiction, and Lompoc Police Officer Eric Andreasen joined the pursuit as it entered the City of Lompoc. The pursuit continued through the City of Lompoc and ended near the intersection of Highway 246 and Union Sugar Avenue when the blue Toyota Matrix began to smoke and exhibit sparks from underneath the vehicle. The vehicle left the roadway, rolling over several times and, as it came to rest on the driver?s side, flames began to appear from within the engine compartment. Senior Deputy Langehennig and Officer Andreasen approached the vehicle with their weapons drawn, finding two males trapped inside. Officer Andreasen was able to break out the two passenger side windows with his baton. The passenger was intoxicated, entangled in his seat belt, and unable to free himself. Working together, Senior Deputy Langehennig and Officer Andreasen freed the passenger and pulled him through the passenger window. After handing the intoxicated passenger to other on-scence deputies, Senior Deputy Langehennig and Officer Andreasen directed their efforts toward extracting the driver, suspected in a carjacking and sexual assault. The engine compartment was engulfed in flames and the fire was moving toward the passenger compartment of the vehicle. Several attempts were made to pull the driver from the vehicle but the driver, crawling deeper into the car, was unwilling to cooperate and communicated to the officers that he intended to stay in the burning vehicle to avoid capture. Officer Andreasen deployed his taser and briefly incapacitated the suspect while he and Deputy Langehennig pulled the suspect out of the burning vehicle, safely taking him into custody. The self-sacrificing collaborative efforts of Senior Deputy Langehennig and Officer Andreasen undoubtedly saved the lives of these two men or, at the very least, kept them from serious injury. For their acts of valor and their unbiased value for human life, Senior Deputy John Langehenning and Offier Andeasen are awarded the H. Thomas Guerry Award for Valor.

SANTA BARBARA, CA - 5/27/2008 - The Santa Barbara Police Department conducted DUI checkpoints Sunday, May 25th, at 800 E. Haley St. and 400 Garden St. Driver?s licenses were also checked at these locations. The following are the results of the checkpoints.

6 people were arrested for DUI

3 people were cited for driving unlicensed

1 person was cited for a warrant

9 vehicles were towed

In addition to the checkpoints, within the period of 05/23 thru 05/26, patrol officers arrested 5 people for DUI, 1 person was arrested for DUI while riding a bicycle, and 5 vehicles were towed.