Petition to increase police presence on State Street to protect businesses, visitors, residents and children. 

State Street is the heart of Santa Barbara. It is where families gather, tourists visit, and small businesses depend on safe, welcoming streets to survive.

Recently, business owners, employees, and residents have raised serious concerns about public safety along State Street—especially within the pedestrian-only promenade areas.

Key concerns include:

• Aggressive or disruptive behavior
• Theft and vandalism
• Harassment of customers and staff
• Drug-related activity
• Groups of minors riding high-speed electric bicycles recklessly through pedestrian areas

Of particular concern is the growing number of children and teenagers riding electric bicycles at unsafe speeds through crowded sections of State Street. These bikes often exceed safe speeds for pedestrian zones and create dangerous situations for elderly residents, young children, and visitors. Near-collisions are becoming increasingly common.

We are calling on the City of Santa Barbara and the Santa Barbara Police Department to:

• Increase uniformed patrol presence along State Street
• Implement consistent foot patrols in pedestrian areas
• Enforce safety regulations related to electric bicycles
• Increase visibility during peak business and evening hours
• regulate unlicensed street vendors as 5th bullet

A visible police presence helps deter unsafe behavior, protect children, support small businesses, and ensure that State Street remains a safe and vibrant destinations for residents and visitors.

Creating a safe environment does not just serve the community, it serves the city as well. The more successful our businesses are on State Street, the more sales tax revenue will be collected. This could provide some relief as our city looks to raise sales tax even further, though it is already one of the highest in the nation.

We respectfully urge city leadership to prioritize public safety on State Street now.

Sign this petition to support safer streets for our community.

Thank you,

Dylan Mancuso

What’s one thing all of these pictures have in common? Not a police officer in sight.