Santa Barbara Police Department’s Co-Response Team Honored with Thomas Guerry Award
Santa Barbara Independent
May 19, 2026
It’s a bittersweet moment for our community. According to the *Santa Barbara Independent*, the Santa Barbara Police Department’s Co-Response Team has just been honored with the Thomas Guerry Award—a prestigious recognition for their compassionate, crisis-focused work pairing officers with mental health clinicians. For anyone who’s seen them in action downtown or along State Street, this award feels like a long-overdue nod to the quiet, life-saving work they do every day.
But here’s the twist that hits close to home: the award comes just as the county’s head co-response coordinator faces looming layoffs. It’s a classic Santa Barbara story—celebrating innovation while struggling to fund it. This team has been a lifeline for neighbors in crisis, keeping folks out of jail and into care. Let’s hope this honor sparks the support needed to keep that leadership in place.
This summary was written by AI based on the original article from Santa Barbara Independent.
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Santa BarbaraPublished
May 19, 2026
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