An off-duty UCSB police officer was arrested this week after allegedly flashing his badge and firearm during an argument at a local nightclub, according to the Santa Barbara Police Department.
The incident involved Marco Pavico, a new UCSB police officer, and occurred in the early morning hours on Sunday, said Anthony Wagner, a Santa Barbara Police Department spokesman.
Santa Barbara officers learned about the incident on Tuesday night through a social-media post, Wagner said.
“Within minutes of becoming aware of the post, the Santa Barbara Police Department devoted abundant resources to begin investigating the accuracy of the serious online allegations,” Wagner said.
Detectives from the Santa Barbara and UCSB police departments investigated the incident.
Pavico, 21, was booked into Santa Barbara County Jail on suspicion of misdemeanor battery and brandishing a firearm, and subsequently was released on $2,500 bail, Wagner said.
The UCSB Police Department issued the following statement about the incident:
“The UCSB PD is working closely with the Santa Barbara Police Department on this investigation involving a newly graduated UCSB police officer’s conduct while off duty in Santa Barbara. The officer’s alleged conduct as described was highly unprofessional and does not reflect the high standards we have for officers.
“The alleged reported behavior will not be tolerated or condoned by the UCSB Police Department.
“The officer identified by the SBPD, who had not even been cleared for field duty, was place on investigatory leave without pay pending the SBPD criminal investigation and a separate internal-affairs investigation initiated by the UCSB PD.
“The UCSB PD is cooperating fully with the SBPD, and will take swift and appropriate action pending the outcome of both investigations. There is absolutely no place in our community for the kind of behavior alleged in this incident.”
Pavico graduated Dec. 10 from the Allan Hancock College Law Enforcement Training Academy, according to a press release from the college.
He also is a student at Santa Barbara City College, according to his LinkedIn profile, and attended Dos Pueblos High School in Goleta.
— Noozhawk executive editor Tom Bolton can be reached at tbolton@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.