For Santa Barbara residents interested in having a say about local public safety, the city of Santa Barbara is holding a special recruitment to fill a vacancy on the Fire and Police Commission.

“The city is an equal-opportunity employer and adopts practices that value and include diversity at all levels of the organization; this is an essential step to developing strategies that meet the needs of a diverse community,” the city said.

Currently, there is one unscheduled vacancy on the Fire and Police Commission. Unscheduled vacancies occur when a board or commission member resigns before their term’s end date, creating the need for special recruitment to help avoid meeting cancellations due to lack of a quorum.

Residents interested in serving on the commission should email the City Clerk’s Office at Clerk@SantaBarbaraCA.gov or call 805-564-5309.

For a detailed list of scheduled vacancies in 2025 and an online application, visit Boards and Commissions page.

Application deadline is 5 p.m. Friday, Jan. 17. The City Council will conduct applicant interviews at 4 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 28, in City Hall, 735 Anacapa St.; and make the appointment to the Fire and Police Commission on Tuesday, Feb. 4.