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Tehachapi police say Measure S paid for nine new patrol cars, body cameras and staff additions
Summary
Chief Standridge told residents Measure S revenue funded nine new patrol cars, a body-worn camera program, a departmental reorganization adding a second lieutenant, and other staffing and community programs; the department said it spent nearly $500,000 on vehicle updates and currently has five volunteer patrol members.
Chief Standridge, chief of the Tehachapi Police Department, said Monday that revenue from Measure S allowed the department to buy nine new patrol cars and invest in other equipment and staffing needed to serve the city.
"I just wanted to take a moment to thank our taxpayers again for passing Measure S," Chief Standridge said, noting the funds "have been vital to keeping the police department moving forward and allowing us to get the latest technology and things that we really need to do the best job we can." He said the department spent almost half a million dollars this year updating and readying the patrol fleet.
The department has also instituted a body-worn camera program, which Chief Standridge said has improved report writing and investigations and helped with filing cases with the Kern County District Attorney's Office. He said the department completed a reorganization that created an operations division and a services division and added a second police lieutenant.
Standridge said the department added a second code enforcement officer and is working with the city's Community Development and Building departments to expand programs this year; he did not provide a budget breakdown for those expansions. He also thanked the Tehachapi Police Foundation for organizing a golf tournament that helped bring back the Police Explorer program and said the department plans to add a second high-school scholarship this year.
Chief Standridge thanked Lieutenant Rupert for reviving the volunteer patrol program and said the department currently has five volunteers in patrol and is ready to expand the program. He closed by saying he looks forward to a "great 2025."
