BAKERSFIELD, Calif.(KBAK/KBFX) — Community leaders and law enforcement officials met with residents during a public safety forum focused on property crime, homelessness and when to call authorities, as agencies emphasized the importance of reporting issues as they happen.
Officials discussed how departments coordinate responses, from emergency calls to longer-term efforts aimed at addressing crime and homelessness. A key focus was encouraging residents to report incidents promptly so departments can track trends, respond faster and better direct resources.
“We’re a city of collaboration, and I am so grateful that all of these agencies come together, we care very much about our community, and we know that through collaboration, we can make a difference together,” Bakersfield Mayor Karen Goh said.
Goh and other county leaders, along with representatives from the Kern County Sheriff’s Office, Bakersfield Police Department, Kern County District Attorney’s Office and Kern County Fire Department, took the stage to address community concerns.
Much of the discussion centered on property crime, homelessness and overall safety. Bakersfield Police Chief Brent Stratton said property crime has decreased in Bakersfield, attributing the change to increased staffing and partnerships.
“Staffing for the police department has continued to increase in being able to have officers that are responding towards that, partnerships within the community, and within the business community, and working on being able to solve the problems that are being faced,” Stratton said.
Kern County Sheriff Donny Youngblood pointed to ongoing challenges for law enforcement, including retention and shifting crime trends across the county.
“Retention’s a big one. We were seeing a lot of pursuits recently in the last couple years. People were dealing with a different generation of people that don’t want to cooperate with law enforcement,” Youngblood said.
Youngblood said the sheriff’s office remains in a transition period as many of the roughly 800 deputies hired over the past four years are still relatively new.
Overall, leaders described public safety as a community-wide effort that goes beyond law enforcement response, emphasizing collaboration among agencies, businesses and residents. They also encouraged the public to continue reporting crimes and documenting incidents to support investigations and court cases.
Officials said forums like the one held in Bakersfield are intended to strengthen communication between the public and local leaders while helping agencies better understand community concerns.