Sheriff Bill Brown speaks at a news conference during the recent storms. Sheriff Brown this week issued a statement in support of the Jewish community in the face of antisemitic fliers found in the Isla Vista area.
The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office has issued a statement condemning antisemitic fliers that were distributed in the Isla Vista area.
The sheriff’s office is denouncing the anti-Semitic messaging against Jewish communities across the country. That messaging was found in the form of hateful fliers in plastic bags that were left in the roadway in the Isla Vista area, said Raquel Zick, the public information officer for the sheriff’s office.
Sheriff Bill Brown would like to reassure members of the Jewish community that the county is actively investigating these incidents and that deputies will continue to reach out to Jewish faith leaders and community centers to establish open communication and address any safety concerns.
“The men and women of the Santa Barbara Sheriff’s Office denounce hatred, violence and racism of any kind,” Sheriff Brown said in the statement. “While we are pleased that we have had no recent hate crimes against Jewish victims reported in the communities we police, we want to ensure these types of crimes are reported to us if they occur.
“All such reports are taken seriously and investigated thoroughly. We will relentlessly pursue and apprehend the perpetrators of crimes committed against members of our Jewish community, or any other group of people within our county that is targeted due to their race, ancestry, religion, age, gender, disability or sexual orientation,” Sheriff Brown said. “We stand strong in Santa Barbara County because we stand together.”
Ms. Zick stressed that it’s the policy of the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office to safeguard the rights of all people, regardless of their gender, nationality, race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation or disabilities.
Anyone with information about the source of the fliers in the Isla Vista area is encouraged to contact Sheriff’s Detectives at 805-681-4150. If you prefer to remain anonymous, call the Sheriff’s Office’s tip line at 805-681-4171 or go to sbsheriff.org/home/anonymous-tip.
email: kzehnder@newspress.com
