March 18, 2025
Source: John Palminteri – KEYT New
Members of the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Benevolent Posse, donors and Sheriff Bill Brown, second from right, with a check representing the donation to the scholarship endowment.
The Posse’s Explorer graduate endowment has awarded two $2,500 scholarships each of the past two years and now will award a minimum of four scholarships totaling $10,000 annually.
The scholarships have been made possible primarily by the extraordinary generosity of long time Santa Barbara resident and past Posse board member Richard Berti.
With the recent addition by the Posse of $115,000 to the scholarship endowment its total has reached nearly $250,000, allowing the annual grants from the endowment interest only in perpetuity.
The Santa Barbara County Sherriff’s Benevolent Posse has partnered with the Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara to create and manage the endowment scholarship program to support the dreams and higher education goals of Sheriff’s Explorer Program graduates.
Sheriff’s Office Explorer members are young adults who have completed eighth grade through the age of 20, who are interested in hands-on, pre-professional training, and real-life experience in law enforcement services and other related professions.
The program promotes personal growth through character development, community service, physical fitness, leadership, communication and public speaking skills, command presence, and career planning, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
“Richard Berti’s incredible generosity has enabled the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Posse to partner with The Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara to award in perpetuity these scholarships to support the higher education goals of wonderful young people in our community with aspirations of public service,” said Sean Koffel, president of the Santa Barbara County Sherriff’s Benevolent Posse.
“We’re hopeful that other donors will also support the program and allow us to continue to expand the Explorer scholarship program.
In the recent past the Sheriff’s Posse has helped the sheriff’s office obtain much needed emergency equipment including Lifesaving AED’s, COVID-19 personal protection equipment, protective vests, night vision goggles, specialized weapons, computer equipment, drug sniffing and patrol/tracking/bomb/explosive detection dogs, a headquarters barn for its Mounted Enforcement Unit and specialized equipment for the dive team.
It has also supported the highly effective DARE program in North County elementary schools, teaching students to develop good decision-making skills and understanding of the harmful effects of substance abuse, bullying and violence.
If interested in donating to the SBCSBP Scholarship program or supporting the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Benevolent Posse visit their website www.sbsheriffsposse.org.