City of Bakersfield | Valley Public Radio

Bakersfield Police Chief Lyle Martin Named Kern's Chief District Attorney Investigator

By Laura Tsutsui • Nov 22, 2019

Kern County District Attorney Cynthia Zimmer has appointed Lyle Martin to be her Chief Investigator. Martin has been the Chief of Bakersfield Police since 2016, and has worked for the department for more than 30 years.

Martin announced his retirement as police chief on the department’s Facebook page in a video posted this morning. Assistant Police Chief Greg Terry will serve as interim police chief when Martin’s retirement takes effect December 28.

In The Studio: Kern County Might Tackle Homelessness By Issuing Misdemeanor Drug Offenses

By Kathleen Schock • Oct 11, 2019

KERN COUNTY HOMELESS COLLABORATIVE FACES OF HOMELESSNESS FACEBOOK PAGE

A statewide survey conducted last month by the Public Policy Institute of California found most Californians see homelessness as a top issue for the state, but how counties are choosing to tackle it differs widely. In Kern County, officials are considering jailing homeless people for misdemeanor drug offenses. To go into effect, the proposal needs funding approval from the Bakersfield City Council.

Amid Questions, High-Speed Rail Examines New Bakersfield Route, Station Site

By Joe Moore • Jan 9, 2018

If the leaders of California’s High-Speed Rail Authority are to be believed, by 2029 Bakersfield residents will be able to hop on a bullet train bound for LA’s Union Station or San Francisco’s Transbay Terminal. That’s if all goes according to plan, for a project that still doesn’t have enough funding to finish the job.