Businesses and home owners are on high alert in Golden Hills after what they say is a recent spike in crime. 

Many residents say the reason crime is so high is because there is no Kern County Sheriff deputies patrolling the streets overnight. 

However, KCSO says that's not the case. In a statement KCSO tells 23ABC: 

Sheriff's personnel analyzed calls-for-service data over the recent past and found no evidence of a "spike" in crime in the Golden Hills area.  Over the last two weeks alone, the Sheriff's Office has received only two calls for service in the Golden Hills area between the hours of midnight and 6:00 am.  One involved a "suspicious vehicle" driving in the area, and the other was a "check the welfare" call.  In both cases, deputies handled the calls.

Budget constraints have required the Sheriff to closely analyze available resources and where they are deployed.  The Sheriff is committed to providing the best possible service for County citizens while remaining within his allocated budget.  This is a daunting task.  The citizens of Golden Hills should know that there are deputy sheriffs patrolling the East Kern area 24 hours a day, and are prepared to respond to any area.