Lieutenant Shawn Hill

Shawn Hill is a Police Lieutenant with the Santa Barbara Police Department and an Adjunct Faculty at Santa Barbara City College in the Justice Studies Program. He earned a Bachelor’s Degree in English-Literature from Old Dominion University and a Master’s Degree in Criminal Justice from Arizona State University. Shawn was appointed to the Community Policing Committee of the International Association of Chiefs of Police in 2017, a position in which he is currently co-editing international model policy for policing. He served as a member on the Bureau of Justice Assistance Executive Session of Police Leadership, and he currently holds a position on the board of the California Peace Officer’s Association for Region VII.

Lt. Hill has written curricula for courses certified by the California Peace Officers Standards and Training (POST) during which police officers and college students work collaboratively through critical thinking exercises to broaden their perspectives. His recent publications have examined the intersection of community policing and intergroup contact and accommodation theories, and organizational resilience. Shawn is currently co-editing an international and interdisciplinary 25 chapter volume, The Handbook on Communication, Policing and Society, under contract with publisher Rowman & Littlefield.

Some of the positions Lt. Hill has held in the department include: patrol officer, restorative policing officer, bike patrol officer, narcotics detective, special investigations detective, asset forfeiture detective, patrol sergeant, professional standards sergeant, SWAT team entry element, SWAT sniper, SWAT team training coordinator, SWAT and CNRT Liaison, and firearms instructor. He is currently assigned to recruitment, training, and personnel in the Strategic Operations Division.