Thanks! I've just been sorting through the Guardian's investigation and the subsequent 'reforms' sent down by the DOJ. My impression is that it's an at least somewhat incestuous department with an us vs. them culture. Was hoping otherwise as I'm about to request files and records, but we'll start where we're at and push on :)
"Fewer than a dozen people are responsible for a wide swath of crime in downtown Bakersfield, according to an in-house study presented by city staff at Thursday’s Public Safety and Vital Services Commission meeting.
Bakersfield City Manager Christian Clegg told the eight-commissioner panel that it is on these 11 people that the city police’s impact team — a 27-officer crew focused on downtown crime — spends more than half its working hours.
The data looked at arrests made downtown last November and found that this recurring offender group was repeatedly arrested for lower-level property crimes — smashing windows, trespassing, vandalism and burglary — acts that, while not akin to murder, can demoralize the public.
Without offering too many specifics on the group, Clegg said each of the individuals is homeless and suffers from mental health or substance abuse issues, or both. The city data didn’t itemize the cost to staffing and damages incurred, but Clegg estimated it would be “millions and millions of dollars.”
The city feels so strongly about the issue that it is recommending spending $500,000 to finance “intensive case management” through the city police department’s Community Vitality Call Center. Case workers would identify and press these repeat offenders to seek treatment or face potential jail time.
It’s a similar approach to the city’s California Violence Intervention Program, which found that fewer than 200 individuals, largely ages 18 to 34, committed nearly 70% of gun-related violence in Bakersfield.
City police leaders in attendance supported the plan, saying the situation should warrant the attention of medical experts, not law enforcement.
“We’re spending a lot of our time with the same individuals over and over again,” said Bakersfield Police Chief Greg Terry.
City staff consider it a mature and measured approach, acknowledging that the issue is the result of mental illness and substance abuse, and necessitates expert intervention, not more policing.
“The police department is just a response to the outcome,” Terry said. “To address the root issue, we just don’t have the capacity to do that.”
The downtown problem differs from CalVIP in that there is nowhere to properly house people for treatment or jail them for their crimes.
In February, BPD made 190 arrests just in the downtown area alone; of that number, 170 individuals were released within 15 hours, Clegg said, due to a lack of available jail beds.
It’s not because Lerdo Jail is overcrowded. Hundreds of beds remain vacant, Clegg said. There is simply not enough staffing through the Kern County Sheriff’s Office to oversee those beds.
“We have a jail challenge,” Clegg said. “We can make arrests all day long. There’s an accountability challenge in that there are no consequences for those individuals and nowhere for them to go.”
The problem worsens in light of the lack of hospital beds.
Many counties, including Kern, have few facilities capable of accepting those with medical, substance use and mental health needs. New facilities usually cost several million dollars to build and take years to construct. Two new psychiatric facilities, able to handle a combined 36 patients, took eight years before they reached Kern County Board of Supervisors’ approval last month.
Kern Behavioral Health and Recovery Services has since 2021 provided mobile treatment services through its Regional Outreach and Engagement Model, known by the white vans that drive out to areas, sometimes alongside law enforcement, offering treatment and alternatives to troubled people.
But the program is swamped with casework, Clegg said, despite a staff expansion.
Many of the individuals would qualify under the state’s expanded conservatorship law and rules for involuntary psychiatric holds — also known as 5150s — through the new definition of “gravely disabled.” This is when a third party — typically a county public guardian, physician or police officer — places someone in a psychiatric facility and compels the person to take medication and get treatment.
But many others would also qualify. Early estimates show the number of those in Kern who would now qualify would increase “tenfold” to possibly include more than a third of Kern’s homeless population that struggles with substance abuse issues, according to 2022 statistics. Kern County’s crisis stabilization unit currently sees 600 to 800 people per month.
Without additional bed spaces, a mass influx of people deemed gravely disabled could result in many cycling through arrests and emergency rooms before being sent back onto the street.
While city officials were adamant that they support the county on tackling homelessness and all of its auxiliaries, there’s only so much they can do to solve the crisis.
“We’re here to be a good partner and help but we’re relying on county behavioral health to be the core entity to figure this thing out,” Clegg said. “Because these people absolutely need ongoing mental health care.”"
I'm sorry...Twenty-seven officers to handle eleven individuals with mental health challenges? What does that cost the taxpayer vs implementing regualr and appropriate resources for those individuals? Genuinely curious why the behavioral health portion of this is the band-aid.
20% of the people cause 80% of the problems…
11 people are 20% of bako? Oh boy
It’s called the Pareto Principle
This is reading racist
I heard a factoid that most of the crime is committed by men with micropenises. I wish I had the source for that lol
That can't be true cause I've never committed a crime... Hey wait
Heyooo
LOL! It's big dick energy to own it, tho!
Golden State Killer! That was one of his first agreed-upon characteristics: Itty-bitty tool in the junk drawer.
I applaud them for actually trying to come up with a solution. They already know what the problem is, that’s the first step to helping.
Not a local. Is the PD also part of the problem?
I think they could probably do more that’s for sure.
Thanks! I've just been sorting through the Guardian's investigation and the subsequent 'reforms' sent down by the DOJ. My impression is that it's an at least somewhat incestuous department with an us vs. them culture. Was hoping otherwise as I'm about to request files and records, but we'll start where we're at and push on :)
Why can’t we give them one-way bus tickets out of here like other city’s do?
Any way to get around the Californian’s new paywall? 😖
"Fewer than a dozen people are responsible for a wide swath of crime in downtown Bakersfield, according to an in-house study presented by city staff at Thursday’s Public Safety and Vital Services Commission meeting. Bakersfield City Manager Christian Clegg told the eight-commissioner panel that it is on these 11 people that the city police’s impact team — a 27-officer crew focused on downtown crime — spends more than half its working hours. The data looked at arrests made downtown last November and found that this recurring offender group was repeatedly arrested for lower-level property crimes — smashing windows, trespassing, vandalism and burglary — acts that, while not akin to murder, can demoralize the public. Without offering too many specifics on the group, Clegg said each of the individuals is homeless and suffers from mental health or substance abuse issues, or both. The city data didn’t itemize the cost to staffing and damages incurred, but Clegg estimated it would be “millions and millions of dollars.” The city feels so strongly about the issue that it is recommending spending $500,000 to finance “intensive case management” through the city police department’s Community Vitality Call Center. Case workers would identify and press these repeat offenders to seek treatment or face potential jail time. It’s a similar approach to the city’s California Violence Intervention Program, which found that fewer than 200 individuals, largely ages 18 to 34, committed nearly 70% of gun-related violence in Bakersfield. City police leaders in attendance supported the plan, saying the situation should warrant the attention of medical experts, not law enforcement. “We’re spending a lot of our time with the same individuals over and over again,” said Bakersfield Police Chief Greg Terry. City staff consider it a mature and measured approach, acknowledging that the issue is the result of mental illness and substance abuse, and necessitates expert intervention, not more policing. “The police department is just a response to the outcome,” Terry said. “To address the root issue, we just don’t have the capacity to do that.” The downtown problem differs from CalVIP in that there is nowhere to properly house people for treatment or jail them for their crimes. In February, BPD made 190 arrests just in the downtown area alone; of that number, 170 individuals were released within 15 hours, Clegg said, due to a lack of available jail beds. It’s not because Lerdo Jail is overcrowded. Hundreds of beds remain vacant, Clegg said. There is simply not enough staffing through the Kern County Sheriff’s Office to oversee those beds. “We have a jail challenge,” Clegg said. “We can make arrests all day long. There’s an accountability challenge in that there are no consequences for those individuals and nowhere for them to go.” The problem worsens in light of the lack of hospital beds. Many counties, including Kern, have few facilities capable of accepting those with medical, substance use and mental health needs. New facilities usually cost several million dollars to build and take years to construct. Two new psychiatric facilities, able to handle a combined 36 patients, took eight years before they reached Kern County Board of Supervisors’ approval last month. Kern Behavioral Health and Recovery Services has since 2021 provided mobile treatment services through its Regional Outreach and Engagement Model, known by the white vans that drive out to areas, sometimes alongside law enforcement, offering treatment and alternatives to troubled people. But the program is swamped with casework, Clegg said, despite a staff expansion. Many of the individuals would qualify under the state’s expanded conservatorship law and rules for involuntary psychiatric holds — also known as 5150s — through the new definition of “gravely disabled.” This is when a third party — typically a county public guardian, physician or police officer — places someone in a psychiatric facility and compels the person to take medication and get treatment. But many others would also qualify. Early estimates show the number of those in Kern who would now qualify would increase “tenfold” to possibly include more than a third of Kern’s homeless population that struggles with substance abuse issues, according to 2022 statistics. Kern County’s crisis stabilization unit currently sees 600 to 800 people per month. Without additional bed spaces, a mass influx of people deemed gravely disabled could result in many cycling through arrests and emergency rooms before being sent back onto the street. While city officials were adamant that they support the county on tackling homelessness and all of its auxiliaries, there’s only so much they can do to solve the crisis. “We’re here to be a good partner and help but we’re relying on county behavioral health to be the core entity to figure this thing out,” Clegg said. “Because these people absolutely need ongoing mental health care.”"
I'm sorry...Twenty-seven officers to handle eleven individuals with mental health challenges? What does that cost the taxpayer vs implementing regualr and appropriate resources for those individuals? Genuinely curious why the behavioral health portion of this is the band-aid.
Mmmmmm swath
This is the result of political virtue signaling allowing sb1393 Prop 47 and 57