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Carpinteria, CA – July 22, 2024 – The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office and City of Carpinteria are pleased to announce the appointment of Lt. Rich Brittingham as the City of Carpinteria’s new Chief of Police Services, effective July 22, 2024.
Lt. Brittingham is a 21-year veteran of the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office, bringing with him over 27 years of law enforcement experience. Throughout his distinguished career, Lt. Brittingham has held various assignments, including serving as a patrol deputy in the south county and as a detective with the Special Investigations Bureau.
In 2013, Lt. Brittingham was promoted to Sergeant, where he supervised patrol teams in the City of Carpinteria and Isla Vista before being transferred to the Criminal Investigations Bureau. On April 6, 2020, he was promoted to Lieutenant and served as the Chief of Police Services for the City of Goleta.
Lt. Brittingham’s extensive experience, coupled with his exceptional leadership and managerial skills, make him the ideal candidate for the position of Chief of Police Services for the City of Carpinteria. He is highly regarded for his ability to thrive in team environments and has been commended for his leadership, community responsiveness, forward-thinking approach, and outstanding communication skills.
City Manager Michael Ramirez expressed confidence in the Sheriff’s appointment, saying, “Lt. Brittingham is an outstanding fit for Carpinteria. Our Council and residents have high expectations for communication, community policing, and effective leadership, and Lt. Brittingham excels in all these areas; making him the ideal choice to lead our police services.”
Lt. Brittingham succeeds longtime Chief of Police Lieutenant Ugo “Butch” Arnoldi, who will be continuing his career as supervisor of the North County Operations Division, Northern Division. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Lt. Arnoldi for his years of dedicated service. His contributions have been invaluable, and we wish him all the best in his future endeavors.
Since 1992, the City of Carpinteria has contracted with Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office for law enforcement services including patrol functions, law enforcement support, traffic enforcement operations, and parking enforcement.