BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — Assistant Chief Greg Terry has been selected by City Manager Christian Clegg as the City of Bakersfield’s Chief of Police, effective immediately.
“I am very pleased to appoint Greg Terry as our Chief of Police,” Clegg said. “I am confident we are in good hands. Greg has an outstanding history in public service and has already demonstrated considerable leadership in the Bakersfield Police Department. Greg is a thoughtful, composed and principled leader. He is the right person to lead the Department forward in our next chapter.”
“It is an honor and I am deeply humbled to lead the dedicated men and women of the Bakersfield Police Department,” Chief Terry said. “We will continue work every day to improve the Police Department’s responsiveness and to decrease crime. We will aim to develop many diverse partnerships that solve problems and make our community safe, healthy and prosperous for everyone.”
Chief Terry began his law enforcement career in his hometown of Lafayette, LA when he was hired by that city’s police department in 1990. After serving in a variety of roles with that department, Terry joined the Bakersfield Police Department in 1997.
As Police Chief, Terry will lead the department as it continues to grow. Funding from the Public Safety and Vital Services Measure is paying for the hiring of 100 new officers in order to improve police response times, reduce crime and increase neighborhood patrols. The Department is also expected this spring to complete its rollout of a new bodyworn camera program which will outfit all officers with more than 400 cameras to help strengthen community trust by improving the quality of evidence collected in criminal cases.
