Sgt. Bryan Kerr 
Sgt. Oscar Gonzalez 
Lt. Kasi Corbett 
Cmdr. Kenneth Kushner
The Santa Barbara Police Department has promoted four sworn law officers.
Chief Bernard Melekian held a private ceremony this week to honor one newly promoted commander, one lieutenant and two sergeants.
After the new year, a larger ceremony open to the public and the media will take place, according to a news release.
“It was my privilege this week to promote the next generation of leaders for the Santa Barbara Police Department. I have every confidence they will serve the city, the people who live and work here very well,” said Chief Bernard Melekian.
The officers are:
SGT. BRYAN KERR (OFFICER TO SERGEANT)
Bryan Kerr attended UCSB, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in biological sciences.
Sgt. Kerr later earned a master’s degree in public administration from Cal State Northridge.
Prior to becoming a police officer, Sgt. Kerr was the program director for the Santa Barbara Police Activities League for five years.
Over the last 12 years, he has worked as a patrol officer, tactical patrol officer, beat coordinator and field training officer. He was a member of the Special Weapons and Tactics Team for the last five years, and a member of the Active Shooter Cadre for the past two years.
SGT. OSCAR GONZALEZ (OFFICER TO SERGEANT)
Oscar Gonzalez was born and raised in Santa Barbara, and he graduated from San Marcos High School.
He joined the Marines, serving one year of active duty and five years in the reserves. He was honorably discharged with the rank of corporal.
Sgt. Gonzalez earned his bachelor’s in public sector management from Cal State Northridge.
He joined the Santa Barbara Police Department in 2001 and has worked as a patrol officer, special enforcement team officer, field training officer, criminal impact team officer, training recruitment officer, law enforcement academy training instructor and youth services detective.
He has been a team leader for the Special Weapons and Tactics Team for 12 years and is on the Active Shooter and Academy Training Instructor Cadre.
LT. KASI CORBETT (SERGEANT TO LIEUTENANT)
Kasi Corbett earned a bachelor’s in accountancy at Cal State Northridge and worked in accounting for 10 years before entering law enforcement.
In 2005, Lt. Corbett joined the Santa Barbara Police Department, where she worked as a patrol officer, drinking driver team officer, beat coordinator, explorer adviser, field training officer and academy instructor.
In 2017, she was promoted to sergeant. She served as a patrol sergeant and the strategic operations sergeant. She also served collaterally as the honor guard cadre sergeant and crowd control sergeant.
In 2019, Lt. Corbett earned her master’s in public administration at Columbia Southern University. She is married to Santa Barbara Police Officer Mark Corbett, and they have five children.
CMDR. KENNETH KUSHNER (LIEUTENANT TO COMMANDER)
Kenneth Kushner obtained his bachelor’s in law and society at UCSB.
He joined the Santa Barbara Police Department and began working part time as a police cadet in 1998. In 2000, he became a reserve officer and was hired full time as a police officer the next year.
As an officer, Cmdr. Kushner held multiple specialty assignments including the Special Enforcement Team, Special Weapons and Tactics Team, serving as a school resource officer and working as a detective in the Youth Services Section and Crimes Against Persons.
In 2011, he was promoted to sergeant and worked on patrol as the special events supervisor and professional standards.
He was promoted to lieutenant in 2015, working as a patrol watch commander and later as acting combined communications center manager, criminal investigations lieutenant and the assistant division commander in field operations.
email: kzehnder@newspress.com
