Annual report of Kern County Sheriff’s Office and Bakersfield Police Department released

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KBAK/FOX58) — Of the 512 complaints received by the KCSO, the majority came from the public, with the remainder being initiated by the department.

After the publication of theirAnnual Report Complaints Statistics 2023A total of 392 public complaints have been filed against its employees, 99 allegations are still pending and 27 of them have been confirmed.

The highest complaint received against them concerned 140 cases of dereliction of duty.

The least common complaints are about unauthorized computer use, drug use, threats and fraternization.

Although these numbers may cause fear and disappointment in some people, Rev. Angelo Frazier, who has also worked as a volunteer pastor for people with borderline personality disorder for nearly 30 years, is convinced that these complaints will help improve the community.

“I’m glad we have a district that can raise these complaints and resolve issues because it can potentially bring existing problems to light. I’m glad we have that. I don’t think we should be afraid of it. I don’t think we should run away from it,” Frazier said.

Frazier says he has noticed many changes in recent years, particularly a negative mood between the public and law enforcement.

“When there is a black spot, it seems like all police officers are bad, but that’s not really true,” Frazier added.

The Bakersfield Police Department also released its Annual review of the use of force for 2023.

There were 562 cases of violence, in seven cases lethal force was used.

Tommy Tunson, former chief of the Arvin Police Department and currently a criminal justice professor at Bakersfield College, said those numbers are up for a reason – and that is transparency.

Although both KCSO and the Bakersfield Police Department have different responsibilities, Tunson said it is important to share this information with the community so that change occurs.

“Trust is the key aspect of our evolution in the 21st century. Policing today is trust,” Tunson said. “There have always been situations that people allude to, like Michael Brown, Rodney King and George Floyd. That’s the real reason this is being done. But it’s always been there, it didn’t just happen 10 years ago,” he added.