About the Kern County
Sheriff's Office
Formed in 1866, the Kern County
Sheriff's Office is the oldest law enforcement agency in the county. The Sheriff
is the chief law enforcement officer in the county. In addition to providing police services to the unincorporated portions
of the county, the Sheriff has the responsibility for the jail system, providing bailiff and prisoner transportation service
to the courts, search and rescue, coroner services, and civil process (serving lawsuit papers).
Usually a city has its own
police department, however, several smaller cities, Tehachapi, Maricopa, McFarland and Wasco, contract with the Sheriff's
Office to provide police protection within their community. The Sheriff's Office has roughly 1,050 sworn, non-sworn, and civilian
employees. The 452 authorized sworn (peace officer) positions are deployed as deputies in the Bakersfield metropolitan patrol,
14 substations, detentions, detectives and other support positions. The Sheriff,
who also serves as the Coroner, is an elected official. All other ranks are county employees and fall under civil service
regulations.
Source
co.kern.ca.us/sheriff
