BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — A Bakersfield Police Officer has been arrested for misdemeanor assault following an investigation for unreasonable use-of-force against a suspect.
- Officer Anthony Berumen was charged with one count misdemeanor assault under the color of authority.
- This comes after two use-of-force reports for the year 2023 were released by both the Bakersfield Police Department and the Bakersfield Monitor Team.
A Bakersfield Police Officer has been arrested for misdemeanor assault following an investigation for unreasonable use-of-force against a suspect.
Officer Anthony Berumen was charged with one count misdemeanor assault under the color of authority.
“Our review and our determination of that encounter was unreasonable and unnecessary in terms of a use of force standard,” explained BPD Chief Greg Terry.
According to police, on June 7 officers were responding to a burglary in progress at the Blanco Hotel on White Lane when the incident occurred. The suspect in question was allegedly combative before barricading herself within a bathroom.
Terry said he didn’t know exactly how many officers were on the scene, but it had gone on for some time and required a heavy police presence.
Officer Berumen and his K-9 were on-scene as officers forced the bathroom open. Terry said Berumen deployed his K9 and it was during that encounter when the alleged assault took place.
When asked if it was typical for a K-9 to be on-scene during an incident involving one suspect inside in bathroom, Terry stated was difficult to say.
“But there are circumstances and elements of this where a K-9 absolutely could be an appropriate tool,” he said.
Two days later, a supervisor reviewed the body-cam footage and an investigation began. Berurmen was subsequently placed on administrative leave.
The investigation was handed to the District Attorney’s Office who filed the misdemeanor charge. Since the criminal case is on-going, Terry couldn’t share more details about what took place.
“Just like we don't, in many other cases, discuss witness statements or evidence or videos and that sort of thing, because it's inappropriate once the case is filed,” he said.
However, taking a look at the complaint filed by the DA’s office, it’s alleged that after forcing their way into the bathroom Berumen deployed his K-9 “multiple times.” When the K-9 did not bite the woman, Berumen “went hands on with the suspect and attempted to get the K9 to engage even though the suspect did not appear to be fighting or pulling away,” according to the complaint.
This comes after two use-of-force reports for the year 2023 were released by both BPD and the Bakersfield Monitor Team.
Terry shared how this incident reflects on their recent use-of-force reports. While the number of use of force incidents increased in 2023 from 506 to 562, Terry said that’s still a small percentage of their activity. Though the department’s use-of-force increased by 11% from 2022, BPD experienced an overall 6% drop since 2019.
“We have hundreds of thousands of contacts every year, and uses of force incidents are very, very small,” he said. “We discovered this internally, and so I think it's important that the community understand that we have mechanisms in place to review officers actions.”
Meanwhile, this wasn’t Berumen’s first offense. He was arrested and cited for DUI back in 2017 after being pulled over by California Highway Patrol.
Berumen is due in court on August 8.
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