Police hiring, training, and disciplinary requirements in Bakersfield, California

Police hiring, training, and discipline


Click here for more analysis of police hiring, training, and disciplinary requirements by state and city on Ballotpedia

This page provides an overview of policies related to the hiring, training, and discipline of police officers in Bakersfield, Calif. It is part of an analysis of police union collective bargaining agreements and related arrangements with police unions concerning hiring, training, and disciplinary requirements in the 50 states and top 100 cities by population.

Background[edit]

Ballotpedia in 2023 examined the collective bargaining agreements, statutes, and regulatory codes governing the 50 states and the top 100 US cities by population through the lens of a series of research questions related to police hiring, training, and discipline.

Some of the hiring, training, and discipline standards for police officers not established by statutes or regulations arise from negotiations with police unions. Those negotiations are often codified in collective bargaining agreements (CBAs). Those agreements are the contracts that states and cities sign following negotiations with police unions. Some states and cities restrict collective bargaining, but may still negotiate with police unions using other methods. After negotiating with the unions, those jurisdictions sometimes establish police standards through documents including memoranda of understanding or meet and confer agreements.

Results[edit]

The tables below link to each question Ballotpedia used to analyze the states and cities and indicate how Bakersfield handles police hiring, training, and discipline. To see the provisions Ballotpedia used to support these results, click here.

CBA basics[edit]

CBA basics	Results
Is there a CBA with the police union?	YES
Is the current CBA publicly available online?	YES

Discipline and accountability[edit]

Discipline and accountability	Results
Does the CBA forbid the transfer or reassignment of an officer as a form of discipline?	NO
Do officers have a right to request third-party arbitration for grievances, including over disciplinary actions?	NO
Does the CBA explicitly allow for a state ombudsman outside particular police departments to hold law enforcement officers accountable for misconduct?	NO
Does the CBA contain provisions related to discipline for misconduct?	NO

Legal limitations or provisions[edit]

Legal limitations or provisions	Results
Does the city CBA prohibit felons from becoming law enforcement officers?	NO
Are there any statutes or regulations that prohibit or restrict collective bargaining with police unions?	NO

Training and counseling[edit]

Training and counseling	Results
Does the CBA require or incentivize college or post-secondary education?	NO
Does the CBA require or incentivize law enforcement officers to learn first aid skills?	YES
Incentivizes Intermediate and Advanced POST training, which may include first aid training
Does the CBA have provisions related to firearms training?	NO
Does the CBA have provisions related to training with tasers or other nonlethal weapons?	NO
Does the CBA require law enforcement officers to learn any martial arts?	NO
Does the CBA require law enforcement officers to submit to regular psychological counseling/evaluation?	NO
Does the state/city CBA require law enforcement officers to do driving training regularly?	NO
Does the state/city CBA require law enforcement officers to do driving training regularly?	NO
Does the CBA require law enforcement officers to take regular mental health training?	NO

Community relations and oversight[edit]

Community relations and oversight	Results
Does the CBA reference citizen review boards?	NO
Does the CBA have provisions related to community policing?	NO

Investigations[edit]

Investigations	Results
Does the CBA contain provisions related to misconduct investigations?	NO
Does the CBA require notice to officers of investigations?	NO
Does the CBA determine a timeline for investigations?	NO
Does the CBA contain provisions related to compensation during misconduct investigations?	NO

Evidence and records[edit]

Evidence and records	Results
Does the CBA have provisions related to the use of body-worn cameras or body-worn camera video evidence?	NO
Does the CBA regulate processes for retaining officer disciplinary records?	NO

Qualifications and evaluation[edit]

Qualifications and evaluation	Results
Does the CBA require performance evaluations?	YES
References annual performance evaluations in terms of bonuses
Does the CBA restrict licensing procedures for law enforcement officers or departments?	NO

Union authority[edit]

Union authority	Results
Does the CBA limit union authority to pay and benefits issues?	NO
Does the CBA give the union the power to approve or disapprove new training programs for law enforcement officers?	NO
Does the CBA have provisions involving the union in the process for promotions, unit assignments, and transfers?	NO
Appointments made at sole discretion of department