BAKERSFEILD, Calif.(KERO) — The Downtown Business Association announced a $50,000 grant from the city of Bakersfield, for a six-month contract with Citi Guard.
- The Downtown Buisness Association sheds light on a common issue that affects every city in Kern County, break ins.
- The grant will help provide overlapping coverage with Citi Guard, this includes driving, and a walking patrol for downtown.
- The foot patrol will be patrolling 4 days of the week, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
The downtown business association received a grant to increase patrol in key areas. I discuss an unfortunate event that occurs throughout every city in Kern County, break-ins.
“Security is super important, we want people to come downtown and feel a sense of security, and not have to worry about some issues that we’ve experienced,” says Alan Alvarez.
Vandalism and break-ins in the downtown area are some issues that Alan Alvarez, vice sheriff of the D-B-A hopes will stop with the help of a 50 thousand-dollar grant from the city of Bakersfield.
The grant will fund a six-month contract with Citi Guard, providing overlapping coverage, including a driving unit and a walking patrol.
“The walking patrol is gonna be able to get in behind all the buildings all the dumpsters, look for all the issues that we’re having,” continues Alvarez.
Robert Smith, Citi Guard operations manager for Kern County says the foot patrol will be strolling through downtown 4 days of the week, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday.
Smith says Citi Guard is not there to take the place of the police department, but to supplement that work.
“It's mainly to keep the homeless folks the vandalisms the graffiti away from the buildings and make the downtown area a little more enjoyable, so they can start having special events again, and they're not overrun by the homeless folks,” says Robert Smith.
In addition to the new walking patrol, the DBA will be holding a music fest in May in the area of the walking patrol.
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