City Council - April 22nd, 2026 3:30PM Meeting

The City Council meeting of Bakersfield, CA, held on April 22, 2026, included several key agenda items and reports. The council appointed three members to the Planning Commission to fill term expirations. A resolution was adopted to establish procedures for telephonic or internet disruptions during meetings, ensuring compliance with Senate Bill 707. The bulk of the meeting focused on a comprehensive public safety update presented by Chief Greg Terry and Assistant Chief Jeff Berdick. They reported on crime statistics, response times, and public safety initiatives for 2024 and 2025, highlighting reductions in overall crime rates, particularly in violent crime and gang-related homicides, while noting an increase in domestic violence-related homicides. The police department emphasized the success of mental health clinicians in the communication center, which helped divert approximately 80% of relevant calls from police response. The council discussed challenges in dispatcher staffing and compensation, with market adjustments made but vacancies persisting. Capital improvement projects related to public safety infrastructure, including a real-time information center with access to 400 cameras, were also detailed. The meeting concluded with council members expressing support for ongoing public safety efforts and community partnerships. No specific contract awards, RFPs, or procurement decisions were reported during this session.