BPD Talks With Southeast Bakersfield Residents

Over 100 people turned out to the Friendship House on Cottonwood Road in southeast Bakersfield to talk with police about how to improve service and effectively fight crime in the area.

Chief Greg Williamson says residents in the newly-created Valley Zone had several concerns.

“Maybe a little bit more geared toward or slanted toward violent crime issues that may be occurring in this area,” he said. “We’ll continue to work on those and work with the community.”

BPD split the city into six zones after an International Association of Chiefs of Police report indicated that more needed to be done to improve the quality of police work and response times in the city.

A meeting was held in the North Zone, which consists primarily of northwest Bakersfield neighborhoods, on March 25.

Monday’s meeting was the second of six. Another meeting will take place Tuesday in the southwest at Stonecreek Junior High School on Hosking Road.

– Anthony Pollreisz