Several citizen complaints led the Bakersfield Police Department and others on Tuesday to clear an encampment along the railroad tracks between Virginia and Potomac avenues off South Williams Street, BPD said Wednesday.
The visit by BPD, the city of Bakersfield Code Enforcement Rapid Response Team and Kern Behavioral Health & Recovery Services led to the clearance of 14 encampments and the issuance of five citations. Eleven dogs were taken into temporary custody and 19 arrests were made for charges related to trespassing, outstanding arrest warrants, narcotics and weapon violations, BPD said in a news release.
“The Bakersfield Police Department recognizes the need for collaborative efforts to solve the issues facing our community and is dedicated to continuing these efforts,” the agency said in its news release.