Before Santa Barbara County Deputy James Carovano reports for duty, he gets his partner ready for patrol by helping him put on his vest and opening the car door for him.
His partner, Obi, is a 2-year-old German shepherd, trained in patrol, urban tracking, and narcotics detection. Carovano and Obi recently joined the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s K-9 Unit alongside Deputy Oscar Covarrubias and his highly trained German shepherd partner, Draco.
When introducing the new K-9 teams to the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday, Jan. 7, Sheriff Bill Brown noted that Obi and Draco are more than just dogs.
“They are partners—K-9 partners—who play a vital role in protecting and serving the people of our community,” he said.
With the addition of these two K-9 teams, the Sheriff’s Office now has five working canines—three assigned to patrol and two for narcotics detection in county jails. In an interview with the Sun, Carovano said that even though he now responds to higher-risk calls, he feels safer with Obi close by at all times.
“As deputy sheriffs, we don’t really often work with a partner in our car,” Carovano said. “I mean, of course, we have partners we go to calls with and stuff like that, but to have him in the car with me, … and him watching my back when I’m on a call, it’s an amazing feeling.”
Before starting patrol, Carovano and Obi went through 200 hours of training together at the Inglis Police Dog Academy. On top of that, to ensure that he and Obi are always prepared for any call that comes their way, Carovano explained that they continue to do about 40 hours of training each month.
“The trainer is really good at making scenarios where if we’re ever in a situation where all hell breaks, he’s well prepared,” Carovano said. “We did expose him to a lot of stuff, and we trained at all different locations.”
According to Carovano, a K-9 is a unique tool used by law enforcement because, unlike a firearm, Obi can be recalled once he’s deployed. He also highlighted that Obi’s mere presence on a call can often prevent situations from escalating.
“It actually keeps the use of forces down because when they see the K-9, they don’t want to mess around,” Carovano said. “They don’t want to fight because they see the dog. Even though Obi is a sweet dog, and he’ll do what I tell him to do, it’s scary to some people.”
While he recognizes Obi’s importance as a tool for patrol, Carovano emphasizes their strong bond as partners.
“I love him,” Carovano admitted. “I want him to have a successful career. When it’s his time to retire, I want him to have a good retirement.”
Obi and Draco were donated through funding from Project Deputy Dog of the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Benevolent Posse. According to Sean Koffel, the group’s president, the Posse is a nonprofit organization made up of local citizens that aims to “support the Sheriff’s Office in their efficiency.”
He explained the importance of using donations to help close the gap between rising public safety demands and the county’s limited budget. As an example, he noted that the K-9 Unit is not a specific county budget line item but is an essential asset to public safety, so they raise money to fund it.
“There have been numerous moments and incidents within our community where the patrol dogs have kept homes and communities safe,” Koffel said, “ranging from apprehending potential burglars, etc., to drug-sniffing dogs that keep fentanyl and other narcotics, in this awful opioid surge were facing, off the streets and out of our jail.”
He expressed gratitude for the individuals and families that have given money to support and enhance the K-9 Unit, noting that he’s excited to see what Project Deputy Dog might be able to do in the future.
“I think that given the recent generosity, there’s a strong possibility that the sheriff’s department might be able to expand the K-9 Unit in the coming years,” Koffel said.
For more information on the Sheriff’s Benevolent Posse and the work it does, visit sbsheriffsposse.org.
Highlight
• The Lompoc Aquatic Center expanded its offerings of private swim lessons to provide more opportunities for swimmers of all skill levels and abilities. The center now offers private lessons Monday through Thursday from 3 to 6 p.m., and it will continue to offer a variety of other swim programs, including group lessons, swim evaluations, and parent-child swim lessons. For more information, contact the Lompoc Aquatic Center at (805) 875-2782 or visit cityoflompoc.com/government/departments/parks-recreation/lompoc-aquatic-center.
Staff Writer Emma Montalbano can be reached at emontalbano@newtimesslo.com.
This article appears in Jan 23 – Feb 2, 2025.