Black Leaders In Bakersfield Call For Police Advisory Board

It's been one month since the death of George Floyd and communities across the country are debating the reallocation of funding from law enforcement agencies to social services. But in Bakersfield this week, the city council voted to increase its police budget and hire more officers. The funding came from Measure N, a sales tax passed by voters in 2018 to address community priorities. To get some perspective on the council’s decision and learn more about police reform efforts in Kern County, Valley Edition Host Kathleen Schock spoke with African-American community leaders Traco Matthews, a social pastor, Arleana Waller, ShePower Global Ambassador, and Isaiah Crompton with the MLK Community Collaborative. She also reached out to the Bakersfield Police Department and the Kern County Sheriff’s Office, but neither agency responded with a representative.