On Monday, January 31, 2022, the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office welcomed three new employees and congratulated five custody employees on their promotions. In an outdoor ceremony at the Sheriff’s Office Training Bureau, attended by family, friends and colleagues, Sheriff Brown introduced the newest Sheriff’s Office team members; Utility Worker Raquel Esparza, Park Ranger Gesa Figueroa, and Accountant III Rosario Reyes-Garcia. During the welcoming, Sheriff Brown shared that SHERIFF stands for Service, Honor, Ethics, Respect, Integrity, Fairness and Faithfulness.  He said, “Live up to those values and you will have an exciting, enjoyable, and rewarding career.”

Next, Sheriff Brown congratulated five Custody Branch staff members who were being promoted and said “The caliber and quality of our people is such that the competition for promotion is always very tough. Those who emerge successfully from this rigorous process are to be congratulated, and that is what today is all about.”

David Bouslaugh Jr., David Harman, and Matthew Sheffield were each promoted to Custody Sergeant. Christopher Gillespie was promoted to Custody Lieutenant and Shawn Lammer was promoted to Custody Commander. Sheriff Brown shared Lee Iacocca’s 9 C’s of Leadership from his book Where Have all the Leaders Gone and encouraged the promotees to have the strength of character and courage to do the right thing.

Each of the promotees reaffirmed their oath of office in their new leadership roles and were presented with a certificate of appointment. Special guest Sheriff Bill Ayub from Ventura County was in attendance, representing Custody Lieutenant Gillespie’s father, Retired Ventura County Sheriff John Gillespie, who lives out of state and regretted not being able to travel to the ceremony.