On Dec. 22, Santa Barbara Police Chief Lori Luhnow, in conjunction with her command staff, will make the following promotions to the rank of sergeant, lieutenant and captain:
» Patrol Sgt. Ethan Ragsdale. Start date: October 2006 – 12 years of service
Prior duties: patrol officer, motor/traffic officer, field training officer, traffic investigator
Sgt. Ragsdale grew up in Detroit, and joined the U.S. Air Force after high school. He was stationed at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Tex, and was deployed overseas for Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom as a Security Forces – Personal Security Officer.
He finished his tour of active duty at Vandenberg Air Force Base, where he received an honorable discharge at the rank of staff sergeant. Upon completion of military service, he was hired by the Santa Barbara Police Department and has been serving there for the last 12 years.
During that time, he completed a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice management as well as assignments as a patrol officer, motor/traffic officer, Field training officer, and traffic investigator. Ragsdale lives and is active in the Santa Barbara community with his husband Sean.
» Patrol Sgt. Chris Payne. Start date: April 2000 – 18 years of service
Prior duties: reserve officer, patrol officer, SWAT, Street Crimes Unit, Criminal Impact Team, K9 handler
Sgt. Payne grew up in San Jose and moved to Santa Barbara at age 12, when his father bought a small business in Santa Barbara. He grew up working in that business. He graduated from San Marcos High School and attended SBCC before transferring to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in business management.
While attending Cal Poly, Payne became a reserve police officer for the city of Santa Barbara, where he served until 2004 when he was selected to become a full-time police officer. Since 2004, he has worked in: SWAT, Street Crimes Unit, Criminal Impact Team, and as a K9 Handler.
» Patrol Sgt. Ben Ahrens. Start date: January 2008 – 11 years of service
Prior duties: patrol officer, detective, active shooter training instructor, field training officer
Sgt. Ahrens grew up in Phoenix. He enlisted in the U.S. Air Force, where he was stationed at Vandenberg AFB in Lompoc, serving as a security forces-personal security officer. During his time in the military, he was deployed to the Middle East for Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom.
He was also assigned as a military police criminal and traffic accident investigator, and was honorably discharged in 2007 at the rank of staff sergeant.
In 2008, Ahrens was hired by the Santa Barbara Police Department, serving his local community as a Santa Barbara police officer, and continuing to serve his country in the Air Force Reserves.
His assignments at the department include: detective with the Gangs and Youth Services Section, active shooter training instructor, and field training officer. Ahrens has been married to his wife Kristin for 18 years and has four children.
» Patrol Lt. Joshua Morton. Start date: September 2001 – 17 years of service
Prior duties: patrol officer, motor officer, SWAT, recruit training officer, field training officer, patrol sergeant, special events supervisor, professional standards sergeant, acting assistant Patrol Division commander.
Lt. Morton grew up in Sonora and graduated from Sonora High School before moving to the San Fernando Valley to attend California State University Northridge on a track and field scholarship, competing in pole vault and decathlon. He graduated with a bachelor of arts in criminology/sociology.
In 2001, he was hired by the Santa Barbara Police Department as a police officer. Since his hiring, he has worked as a patrol officer, motor officer, SWAT team member, recruit training officer, field training officer, patrol sergeant, special events supervisor, professional standards sergeant, acting assistant Patrol Division commander.
» Captain Marylinda Arroyo. Start date: February 1991 – 27 years of service
Prior duties: patrol officer, detective in Special Investigations, high tech-crime investigator, patrol field sergeant, special events supervisor, training and recruitments supervisor, Patrol Watch commander.
Capt, Arroyo was raised in Santa Barbara, graduating from Santa Barbara High School and earning a bachelor’s degree in law and society from UCSB, and a master’s degree in public policy and management from California Lutheran University.
During her career at the Santa Barbara Police Department she has served as a patrol officer, detective in Special Investigations, high tech-crime investigator, patrol field sergeant, special events supervisor, training and recruitment sergeant, and Patrol Watch commander.
In 2015, Arroyo was the first female sworn officer in the 115-year history of the Santa Barbara Police Department to be promoted to management rank, lieutenant.
Arroyo was most recently assigned to the Community and Support Service Division as assistant division commander after serving three years as a patrol watch commander, and is the team commander of the Crisis Negotiations Response Team (hostage negotiators).
She has received numerous commendations and awards including the Thomas H. Guerry Award for Outstanding Conflict Resolution and the Chief’s Meritorious Award for assisting in saving the life of a fellow officer. She is married and has two children.
— Anthony Wagner for Santa Barbara Police Department.