Santa Barbara County Sheriff Bill Brown promoted four sheriff’s employees — Chief Deputy Don Patterson, Custody Comm. Diana Stetson, Custody Lt. James Meter and Custody Sgt. Shawn Lammer — on Monday during a morning ceremony in Goleta.

More than 60 family, friends and colleagues of those promoted attended the event at the Sheriff’s Training Facility.

During the ceremony, Brown pointed to the number of excellent candidates who took part in the rigorous promotional processes, saying, “The caliber and quality of the people in the Sheriff’s Department is such that the competition is always tough.”

Brown added that he has great confidence in the abilities and potential of those being promoted as they assume important positions of great responsibility in which much will be expected of them. They are:

Chief Deputy Don Patterson

Patterson began his law enforcement career with the San Diego Sheriff’s Department in 1977 before joining the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department in 1979. He most recently worked as the commander of the Criminal Investigations Division.

Patterson also has worked as the department liaison with the Fire Command during several recent wildfires, including the Jesusita Fire, in which he was directly involved in the largest evacuation in Santa Barbara County history.

Custody Commander Diana Stetson

Stetson joined the sheriff’s department in 1983 as a corrections officer. She worked a variety of assignments in Custody Operations before being promoted to corrections sergeant in 1997.

Stetson worked in both administrative and operational assignments until she was promoted to custody lieutenant in 2002. She excelled while spearheading many jail projects that contributed to her receiving this year’s prestigious H. Thomas Guerry Award for Superior Performance.

Custody Lieutenant James Meter

Meter started as a corrections officer with the sheriff’s department in 1990. He joined the Classification Unit in 1997 and was promoted to corrections sergeant in 2003.

Meter has worked various assignments, including transportation, honor farm, the main jail and the Administration Investigations Team. He is also the outgoing vice president of the Santa Barbara County Deputy Sheriffs’ Association.

Custody Sergeant Shawn Lammer

Lammer began his career with the department as a reserve deputy in 1998. He was promoted to corrections officer in 1999.

Lammer worked several assignments including transportation, main jail operations and the SORT Team. In July 2004, he was appointed senior corrections officer and assigned to Classification. He became acting custody sergeant in April until Monday’s promotion.

— Drew Sugars is a public information officer for the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department.