Edhat Staff
Local agencies have released preliminary figures from the unsanctioned Deltopia spring break event in Isla Vista, which took place from Friday, April 4 to Sunday, April 6.
The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office states during this past weekend, law enforcement and partner agencies issued 485 citations and made 84 arrests.
Additionally, 3 DUI arrests were made at a DUI checkpoint in Goleta, located at Los Carneros Road and Discovery Drive, and 2 more DUI’s were made by saturation patrol. Notably, all 5 DUI arrests involved underage drinkers aged 18 to 20.
In 2024, there were 256 citations and 32 arrests, and in 2023 there were 151 citations and 23 arrests were issued.
The Santa Barbara County Fire Department states there was a total of 93 Deltopia-related calls for service. Sixty of those incidents were handled by the County Fire Rescue Task Forces that include paramedic foot teams on Del Playa Drive and Sabado Tarde, and 33 incidents were handled by engine companies. Ten incidents took place on UC Santa Barbara’s campus with 23 incidents outside the Rescue Task Force zone.
Total emergency medical service calls for Deltopia reached 135, that include the above 93 calls from County Fire along with the County Health Department. This number includes all patient contacts, refusals, and evaluations. In comparison, total emergency services calls for Deltopia in 2024 was 106.
This year, 12 patients were transported directly to hospitals, and 57 patients were treated in the EMS Medical tent, with 13 requiring a transfer to the hospital. Most cases involved alcohol intoxication, minor injuries, or anxiety. Pre-staged paramedic foot teams and a field treatment site helped reduce pressure on local hospitals and ensured timely on-scene care.
“The safety of our community is the county’s highest priority. Preparing for and responding to Deltopia is a huge lift for hundreds of dedicated county staff each year, in partnership with students, campus and community leaders,” said Chair of the Board of Supervisors Laura Capps. “I’m thankful to our first responders and medical teams for their efforts in preventing serious injuries, fatalities and unforeseen crises. While sunny skies and larger crowds did lead to more citations, enforcement helped keep the event under control and our community safe.”
The Sheriff’s Office reports Deltopia events on Friday night were relatively calm, with 10 citations issued and 1 arrest made by the Sheriff’s Office with an additional 10 citations issued by Alcohol Beverage Control.
However, Saturday saw a significant increase in both crowd size and emergency medical calls, most of which were related to alcohol intoxication. Deputies and officers coordinated with fire and medical teams, using pre-planned rescue units to respond to calls and clear roads in densely packed areas, ensuring swift access for ambulances.
At 10:54 a.m., deputies contacted a group of subjects in the 6900-block of Marketplace Drive who were on their way to Deltopia. One of the subjects was found in possession of a loaded firearm and arrested.
Deputies arrested six suspects as the result of a month-long investigation into conspiracy to commit a violation of the festival ordinance. At approximately 11:17 a.m., deputies served a warrant in the 6600-block of Del Playa for a paid party in violation of the County Ordinance with tickets sold using a ticketing platform.
There were no reported fatalities from cliff falls or fentanyl overdoses. There were no injuries to law enforcement officials or uses of force, reports the Sheriff’s Office.
“This year’s Deltopia operation showcased the strength of teamwork and efficiency. Our team, made up of nearly 300 deputies and officers from 8 law enforcement agencies, worked tirelessly to maintain public safety and respond quickly to medical emergencies. With the larger-than-usual crowds, our officers did an excellent job keeping up and ensuring the safety of the community,” said Lieutenant Schmidt, manager of the Isla Vista Foot Patrol Station.
Lieutenant Schmidt also praised the residents on the ocean side of Del Playa, saying, “We want to thank those who refrained from hosting parties on overloaded balconies. Your cooperation played a key role in keeping Isla Vista safe.”
In anticipation of the large number of attendees, joint planning among Santa Barbara County Fire, American Medical Response, Alcoholic Beverage Control, University of California Police, California Highway Patrol, Santa Maria Police, Lompoc Police, Ventura County Sheriff, Santa Barbara Police, San Luis Obispo Police, and Santa Barbara County Emergency Medical Services allowed for coordinated response and pre-staged resources.
The Santa Barbara County EMS Agency designated the event as a pre-planned mass casualty event, allowing for advance staging of medical resources to preserve system function and prevent surges at local hospitals.
As in previous years, the EMS Agency—alongside volunteers from the County Health Department’s Medical Reserve Corps (MRC)—staffed a Field Treatment Site, or medical tent, to reduce hospital impact. The County Fire Department deployed multiple paramedic foot teams, while AMR staffed five additional ambulances and County Fire added two more, all of which rendezvoused with foot teams at pre-designated locations to facilitate patient transport.
New this year was the deployment of mutual aid medical resources from neighboring counties. Interim EMS Director Vince Pierucci stated, “This year we relied on mutual aid provided by both the Ventura County and San Luis Obispo County EMS Agencies, which sent additional personnel including ambulances and MRC staff. The support of our tri-county partners was invaluable in protecting those attending Deltopia and maintaining the stability of our local EMS system.”
In addition, beaches in Isla Vista were reopened on Monday, April 7, 2025, at 8 a.m., following a weekend closure aimed at preventing a recurrence of the destructive and dangerous conditions seen during the 2009 Floatopia.
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Arrests and Medical Calls Mark the Start of 2025 Deltopia Weekend in Isla Vista
ahhhhh making parents proud up and down the west coast
JIM – A lot of those young adults will grow up to doctors, lawyers, scientists, etc…. I’m sure their parents are pretty proud. I know I am.
It’s so fricking funny to see the same folks every single year come crying about young people partying and cops doing their jobs. Maybe living in a college town isn’t for you folks? The reminder of the folly of youth appears to much for you all to bear.
Taxpayers foot the bill for Deltopia.
Shut it down. Total waste of money.
ANON – it can’t be shut down. You can’t forbid people from gathering. They’ve already shut down the beaches, put strict curfews in place, etc. It’s not some organized event that can have permits revoked.
Yeah, let ‘em rip! Afterall, they’re just kids letting off steam, right? Who cares about consequences!
BASIC – For Christmas, I’m going to ask Santa to give you the ability to read.
I was simply pointing out this isn’t a sanctioned party that can be shut down. Get it together, dude.
Get creative, pull permit, shut it down.
I’m for billing IV for the entire cost. They can pass it on to the U. Why should we pay for this? Ridiculous.
What permit?
The parents should be held accountable and reimburse the city for services involving their kids
They’re not kids anymore, Hammonds.
Hammonds Kook*
Maybe just have the Chancellor write a big check to us taxpayers. Take it out of his massive paycheck.