BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — Each year since 2021, the Bakersfield Monitor Team has been tasked with reviewing the Bakersifeld Police Department’s compliance with the U.S. Department of Justice stipulated judgement.
- As part of the stipulated judgment, a community panel was formed to ensure that the voices of underserved populations are heard.
- While this latest report highlights some progress, it also notes that there’s still a long road ahead.
Each year since 2021, the Bakersfield Monitor Team has been tasked with reviewing the Bakersifeld Police Department’s compliance with the U.S. Department of Justice stipulated judgement. While this latest report highlights some progress, it also notes that there’s still a long road ahead.
As part of the stipulated judgment, a community panel was formed to ensure that the voices of underserved populations are heard.
“We were formed to give a community's voice to a lot of the policy changes,” said Tiffany Sagbohan, a longtime Bakersfield resident and member of the BPD Community Advisory Panel. “We wanted to make sure all of our underserved populations were represented on the panel.”
The most recent monitor report showed a decline in critical incidents, dropping from six in 2023 to two in 2024. Officer-involved shootings also decreased, from seven to three. However, the report criticized the department’s internal review boards for frequently justifying officer actions without adequately assessing whether the use of force was necessary.
Sagbohan said that concern reflects the sentiment the panel continues to hear from the community.
“The consistent [feedback] is that our law enforcement department doesn't respect the rights of our citizens,” she said. “They're too aggressive, and people are looking for more of a community policing approach.”
Sagbohan, who has collaborated with law enforcement through her role on the panel and in her career, said her own experiences led her to join the group in the first place.
“I do see that they are trying to make an effort to be more engaged in the community — trying to listen to what the community has to tell them,” she said. “But when you only see the bad stuff, it’s hard to believe change is happening.”
The monitor’s report also noted that BPD had not yet submitted finalized training plans. Sagbohan responded that those plans are currently being reviewed and are in the process of being finalized and submitted.
Community concerns about over-policing in certain neighborhoods remain. Still, the monitor acknowledged progress in several areas. BPD has achieved compliance in crisis intervention training and hiring reforms. The number of citizen complaints has slightly increased, which the monitoring team suggests may indicate growing trust in the complaint process.
“I think it is on a trajectory of improvement, but it still needs a lot of work,” Sagbohan said. “When you're dealing with people, and you have to pay for the sins of those before you — and you're not that person — it's hard to completely shed your reputation.”
A more comprehensive use-of-force analysis is expected later this year. The year-three report is slated for release in the second half of 2025 and will provide a deeper review of BPD’s use-of-force practices.
Stay in Touch with Us Anytime, Anywhere:
