Full Notification

The San Luis Obispo Police Department is grieving for the officers killed and their families in Baton Rouge. We fear the divide between our more vulnerable communities and law-enforcement will widen if we do not move forward together, through education and understanding. The law enforcement profession is continually becoming more difficult and complex. We have made appropriate changes and have become so much more community oriented, transparent and less militarized. Nonetheless there are more changes to come. Law enforcement and our communities share responsibility to make change. Yet change takes time. We all need to continue to learn from our past mistakes, own our current faults and move ahead as a better profession and nation. I would ask all members of our communities to support us during this time. Please take pause to understand the facts of each individual incident before passing judgement.

On this fateful day I feel compelled to reiterate that the men and women of the San Luis Obispo Police Department are proud of the service provided to our community. We remain committed to serving in a way that builds on our tradition of honor, respect and transparency.

Chief Deanna Cantrell