BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KBAK/KBFX) — Bakersfield Police Chief Brent Stratton has announced the appointment of Captain Ted King to the position of Assistant Chief.
Bakersfield police said King has 22 years of experience with the department.
“Assistant Chief King’s strong resume combined with his personality and his ability to build relationships, are among his strongest traits that will serve him well in this role,” Stratton shared. “He joins Jeremy Blakemore and Jeff Burdick as the Assistant Chiefs who will work with me to lead our Department going forward.”
Captain Ted King PHOTO: BPD
Police said in a release that King grew up in Bakersfield, attending North High School and Bakersfield College. He then joined the U.S. Army, serving with the 1st Armored Division and later in the European Command. After two deployments to the Middle East, he returned to Bakersfield and was hired by the Bakersfield Police Department in January of 2005.
King held multiple assignments with the department, including Patrol, the Special Enforcement Unit and SWAT. He was then promoted to Detective, assigned to the Robbery-Homicide detail. King became a Sergeant in 2015 and supervised Patrol, the Special Enforcement Unit, the Violent Criminal Apprehension Team, and the Robbery-Homicide detail. In 2020, King was promoted to Lieutenant. He served as a Watch Commander until he was selected to lead BPD’s first Special Operations Group (SWAT, K9, Bomb Squad, Crisis Negotiators, UAS Team). He became a Captain in 2022 and commanded the Field Services Division until 2024 when he was selected to serve as commander of the Training and Logistics Division.
King holds a bachelor’s degree in business, a master’s degree in emergency management, and is a graduate of the California Association of Tactical Officers Strategic Leadership Program and the Leadership Bakersfield Class of 2022.