Sheriff’s Office Shares Information for Upcoming Halloween Operation in Isla Vista

The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office would like to share information from frequently asked questions about the upcoming 2023 Halloween weekend in Isla Vista.

The Sheriff’s Office worked together with community stakeholders as well as allied agency partners to plan for the safety of the residents and guests who will be celebrating Halloween in the Isla Vista area.

As a result of planning meetings, community feedback and review of activity in the area for the preceding weeks, the Sheriff’s Office has developed a scalable operation plan with responsive staffing levels and presence based on activity and the ability of first responders to effectively manage safety and security.

Garrett TeSlaa, station Lieutenant for the Isla Vista Foot Patrol station said “The Sheriff’s Office is looking forward to a safe and enjoyable Halloween weekend for Isla Vista residents. We’d like to encourage everyone to celebrate safely and ‘keep it local’ and remind everyone that existing laws – particularly those related to alcohol and noise remain in effect despite the holiday.”

Section 6-70.01 of the Santa Barbara County Code is a general regulation related to amplified music during specific time periods and includes Halloween weekend.

The Sheriff’s Office would like to outline some general information from the ordinance to help Isla Vista residents and visitors understand how it applies. The full ordinance can be found online here.

• Applies to and prohibits amplified or live music audible from a residence within the area bounded by, and including, El Colegio Road, Camino Majorca to Storke Road, Ocean Road to Stadium Road and the Pacific Ocean in the unincorporated area of Isla Vista.
• Effective from October 26th to November 4th from 6pm to 7am the following day.
• Does not apply to permitted festivals or concerts.
• Violations of this ordinance is an infraction.

The Sheriff’s Office plans to offer its Restorative Justice program for some minor infractions. The Restorative Justice class is a voluntary program that requires participants to attend a two-hour presentation.

The class focuses on safety in Isla Vista as well as improving community relations and partnerships. Participants will be assigned an hour of community service in Isla Vista. Upon completing the class and community service the participant’s fine will be waived and the citation will not go on their criminal record. You can find more information about this program on the Sheriff’s Office website – SBSheriff.org.

In the event that first responders use barricades to re-route or limit access to an impacted area, the Sheriff’s Office plans to provide information to the media and the public using our Twitter accounts – @SBSOPIO and @SBSheriff. The Sheriff’s Office intends on sharing recap of activity early next week and we look forward to celebrating Halloween safely with residents.