BAKERSFIELD
MONITOR TRUTH
EXPOSING FALLACIES • DEFENDING FACTS
The Truth About Bakersfield Monitor
JENSEN HUGHES IS A FOR PROFIT, private equity backed, consultancy racket. Taxpayers foot the bill.
The 18 Officers Myth
The report claims 18 officers (just 3.5% of our force) racked up 26% of complaints in 2024, with one getting 12. Sounds alarming… until you add context. These aren't random; they're mostly patrol officers and gang unit members assigned to the city's hottest spots, where they make more arrests and face more risks. High-crime beats mean more public contacts, which naturally lead to more complaints, accusations, not proven wrong doings.
Dig deeper! I bet there are zero use of force complaints against command staff or the chief. Use-of-force issues? Almost all from officers in violent crime units, and directed policing units, not detectives, school resource officers, administrative officers, training officers, or community relations teams.
Compare apples to apples: BPD's complaints per 1,000 arrests are below the state average (CA DOJ data, 2023). Why no breakdown by rank or unit in the report? It's like blaming the firefighters for the biggest blazes without noting who rushed in first.
That 70% Drop
That 70% drop in "not sustained" complaints (cases where allegations couldn't be proven)? It's not a cover-up it's just progress. BPD revamped its process to be more thorough: we now add extra checks during investigations, classify complaints more accurately, and close cases faster. Total complaints fell 12% overall. Yet the monitor warns it "may signal problems." Why spin success as suspicion?
Statistical Shakiness
The monitor's conclusions feel statistically shaky, because they are. They don't disclose their sampling methods, how they classify complaints, or per-officer data. Without it, claims of "disproportionate misconduct" can't be verified and really could mislead everyone.
Taxpayers, that's your right to know.
Real Progress: Crime Down, Compliance Up, Officers Delivering
Don't just take our word, look at the results.
57%
Homicides Down
60 in 2021 → 26 in 2024
60%
Shootings Down
109 → 44
25%
Property Crimes Down
40 to under 30 per 1,000
For three straight years (2022-2024), Bakersfield's crime metrics plunged: Homicides dropped 57% (from 60 in 2021 to 26 in 2024), shootings fell 60% (109 to 44), and property crimes declined sharply (40 per 1,000 residents in 2022 to under 30 in 2024). Response times improved, clearance rates rose, and training hit 100% compliance. The monitor's own reports confirm: BPD met or exceeded nearly all standards in the 2021 stipulated judgment from the California DOJ, from policy reforms to complaint handling. That's not like, it's officers grinding daily, often short-staffed (we're down bodies) on starting pay that barely keeps pace with competition and Bakersfield's soaring cost of living, where families struggle to afford basics while we lose experienced officers to better opportunities elsewhere.
The Real Issue: A Costly Monitor That's All Bill, No Frills
Initiated by a 2015 DOJ probe (settled via 2021 judgment), this oversight is meant to last five years upon compliance and not drag into eternity at $2 million annually to Jensen Hughes, a Baltimore-based fire safety consulting firm with zero full-time staff dedicated to Bakersfield. That's enough to hire numerous new officers, fund raises to retain talent, or launch youth programs in high-crime neighborhoods. Their website? Barely updated beyond press releases; the last public town hall was in 2024, with crickets since. And get this; The same DOJ insiders who pushed these deals often cycle into monitoring roles elsewhere, much like the overlapping players behind other nearby agencies similar agreement's, raising eyebrows on cronyism. What does the contract require? Clear metrics for deliverables and costs? We're still guessing, its just another tangled web where taxpayers foot the bill for vague reports.
Let's be clear, Jensen Hughes is a FOR PROFIT business with a financial interest in maintaining a court mandated judgement!
Cities nationwide echo our frustration: Slow responses, endless extensions, and fees that balloon without results. If this report is judgment-mandated, show us the value equation; output vs. cost. We're not paying for "expertise" that's spread thin across the U.S.
If the public truly knew, they'd demand a full contract audit, taxpayer refund on unearned fees, and a public nod from Jensen Hughes to BPD's above-and-beyond efforts. No more misshaping facts without context.
You're the Real Story
When sirens wail at midnight, when no one else answers, BPD does every time. These men and women sacrifice sleep, safety, and sanity for us, turning chaos into calm. Crime's down because of you, not despite you. No for-profit report will dim that light.
Officers of the BPD stand firm: We protect with facts, not fiction, and we'll keep improving voluntarily while pushing back on distractions that steal from street-level safety.
BPOA strong - join us in demanding better and let's keep our heroes here at home.