Santa Barbara has joined a rural crime prevention network that
includes most counties in the Central Coast and San Joaquin Valley.
The Sheriff’s Department already has 17 deputies assigned to its
rural crime unit, but ACTION (Agriculture Crime Technology,
Information, and Operations Network) allows for intercounty
collaboration on researching and developing surveillance
technology, among other things. The most common crime plaguing
ranchers and farmers is the theft of crops, livestock, and metals
such as converters and copper wire. Anhydrous ammonia – which is
used in manufacturing methamphetamine – is also highly coveted by
rural thieves.
