BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — The Bakersfield Police Department hosted a community meeting Thursday night at the Larry E. Reider Education Center to discuss their revised use of force policy with residents.
Mary Jo Pasek, a Bakersfield resident, was among the community members who attended the meeting to speak directly with police officers about their use of force practices and daily experiences.
"I think they've worked long and hard to put together the kind of use of force policy that we need," Pasek said. "And how hard they're working to make a difference here, and I think we should be very proud of that."
During the meeting, real-life examples of police encounters were shown to participants to demonstrate officers' efforts to de-escalate situations without using deadly force.
Police Chief Greg Terry said the key points of their revised use of force policy focus on officers' understanding the sanctity of life and holding officers accountable.
"We review those and ensure that they're compliant with the policy and the decision-making that they're doing," Terry said.
Terry emphasized that officers must use de-escalation techniques and employ the lowest level of force possible while protecting themselves and their community.
An independent group, the Bakersfield Monitor Team, reports that their findings show progress in how police officers report and investigate these incidents. However, they have stressed there is still work to be done, particularly around fully implementing new policies and the training required under the stipulated judgment.
The revised policy draft will be available for public review on the department's website for two weeks, allowing community members to provide input and ask questions.
The Bakersfield Monitor Team plans to continue monitoring the department's progress as these changes are implemented.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
Stay in Touch with Us Anytime, Anywhere:
