BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — The Kern County Grand Jury released a report Monday for the county’s Public Works Department regarding the Code Compliance division and the need to increase safety for its officers.
The Code Enforcement Officer Safety Foundation indicates in the last 30 years 23 code compliance professionals lost their lives across the state when trying to issue warnings or citations with reports detailing both attacks and assaults. Reports from 2015 to 2021 show that 141 safety incidents were reported, some of which include some form of threat, stalking, and more.
The Grand Jury says although this is a well-organized division, additional assistance, and support from local law enforcement agencies are desperately needed for the safety and security of code compliance officers.
“Obviously, the issue we run into is that a lot of times they’re too understaffed or too busy on other calls to assist us so we take a back seat," explained Al Rojas with Kern County Public Works Code Compliance Division. "When they are available to our department they are amazing and do an incredible job of going in and clearing out the people so that our crews can get in there and clean it up.”
One of the findings within the Kern County Grand Jury report states that a law enforcement officer is legally allowed to remove homeless individuals during an encampment abatement. Rojas says code compliance officers do not have this authority. However, law enforcement’s response may take one to three hours, if at all.
“We would be able to effectively do more sites in a day as opposed to spending some time just waiting.”
The recommendation to this finding, as stated in the report, is to have code compliance partner with the Kern County Sheriff's Office to have an assigned deputy assist code compliance officers at least one day per week for abatements.
In an email sent to 23ABC by KCSO, it says they agree with the grand jury.
The report also recommends personal protective equipment for all code compliance officers, such as radios, body armor, flashlights, batons, and pepper spray.
“Officers are currently given the option to take training to carry pepper spray but again most officers opt to not have that at this time," explained Rojas. "Maybe going forward if they do make it mandatory or some of these recommendations mandatory then obviously we would implement those changes.”
As for the division's clerical staff, which was another finding in the report: “We’ve been affected by absences whether it be medically or related to anything else. The people that remain have to up the slack and do the work. For us, we try to forecast long-range what our needs are,” said Rojas.
Rojas goes on to say the Code Compliance Division has put in a request for an additional office service specialist and they’ve been able to fill an office service technician position. He says while help has arrived for the next budget cycle they’ve asked for additional positions.
“Hoping more help will arrive. Those are issues that we typically try to forecast. Our plans get thrown up in the air anytime somebody goes off on leave or something comes up where they can’t be with us.”
The Public Works Department and Board of Supervisors have 90 days to respond to the grand jury report.
The Grand Jury also noted that Public Works, the Board of Supervisors, and the sheriff's office should post a copy of this report where it will be available for public review.
