Sierra Madre officials report sharp rise in bear intrusions, urge public to call 911 for imminent threats

Police Chief Gus Barrientos told the Sierra Madre City Council on July 8 that the city has seen a marked increase in bear activity this year, including a sharp rise in June that the department is treating as an anomaly and a public-safety concern. "We are in direct contact with both the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and Bear Lovers of Sierra Madre," Barrientos said, describing daily coordination as agencies and volunteers set traps and monitored sightings.

Barrientos presented the department's incident tracking and said the department began systematic tracking in 2023. He reported roughly 200 bear-related calls for service year to date and said the department projects calls could reach the low-to-mid 400s by year end. He said June alone produced about 120 calls for service, compared with about 73 calls in June 2024.

The chief distinguished home intrusions from attempted intrusions. He reported 41 confirmed home intrusions in June 2025 and 18 attempted intrusions that month, for a total of 59 entry-or-attempt incidents in June. Year-to-date, Barrientos said the department has recorded 47 confirmed intrusions and an additional 30 attempted intrusions; 18 of those attempts occurred in June. "For the month of June, we have 41 intrusions plus 18. So 59 incidents where the bear either entered or attempted to enter a home and cause some damage," he said.

Barrientos described response protocols: officers respond to calls that pose a public-safety threat, assess the situation, document location and behavior in the CAD system, and capture photographic and body-worn-camera evidence. When a bear is present and threat level warrants action, officers use selected nonlethal tools, including 40-millimeter rubber/pepper projectiles, fire extinguishers as animal deterrents, and drones to redirect animals. "If it's an imminent threat, call 911," Barrientos said, adding that nonemergency sightings should be reported to the police department's nonemergency line at (626) 355-1414 or to California Fish and Wildlife via wildlife.ca.gov.

Barrientos said the department reports every incident to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife on a monthly basis and maintains direct contact with a regional Fish and Wildlife biologist and an enforcement lieutenant. He said Fish and Wildlife typically responds only when an animal meets its criteria—such as habituation, depredation or public-safety risk—and that the agency must obtain supervisory approval before responding. Council members questioned whether Fish and Wildlife has sufficient field staff; Barrientos and members said the regional office covers a large area and has limited personnel.

Council members praised volunteer outreach by Bear Lovers of Sierra Madre and described residents' mitigation efforts—such as installing window grates or bars—to prevent break-ins. They also said the city has limited authority over wildlife removal, which Fish and Wildlife regulates, and discussed pressing state officials for additional staffing and funding. Council members announced plans for a follow-up public update in August, a mayoral workshop of neighboring cities on Aug. 8 to coordinate regional response and funding, and a request to add a standing agenda item on bears to future meetings.

No public commenters signed up to speak at the special meeting. The council approved the special meeting agenda and later adjourned the session after the briefing.

(Reporting note: numbers and program descriptions above are drawn from the chief's presentation to the City Council and the council discussion on July 8, 2025. Where the meeting did not provide exact vote tallies for procedural motions, the record notes only that motions were moved, seconded and approved.)