Bakersfield Police Lose Officers Faster Than Hiring

Neighboring Kern County agencies are competing for experienced Bakersfield officers with hiring bonuses and incentives.

Updated on Nov. 10, 2026 in Law Enforcement

Isometric editorial illustration of an open cream locker beside an empty bench on flat ochre ground, suggesting departures outpacing hires. — The Bakersfield Police Department has lost about 50 officers this year against roughly 25 losses and 50 hires normally, as Shafter and Delano lure experienced officers with bonuses. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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The Bakersfield Police Department is losing officers faster than it can hire them, with about 50 departures this year against a normal pattern of roughly 25 losses and 50 hires annually. Neighboring agencies including Shafter and Delano are drawing away experienced officers with bonuses and incentives.

Why it matters

Pay, schedules, workload, and work environment are factors in officers' decisions to leave, and a statewide police officer shortage has intensified competition among agencies across California. For Bakersfield residents, a shrinking department raises questions about staffing levels and the capacity for proactive policing.

Bakersfield Police Department is currently losing about 50 officers this year, double its typical annual loss of about 25. Delano has hired four lateral officers from neighboring agencies this past year, including one from Bakersfield, and is offering a $15,000 hiring bonus.

The players

Bakersfield Police Department

The municipal law enforcement agency serving Bakersfield, California, which is experiencing a net loss of officers this year.

Shafter Police Department

The police agency serving the city of Shafter in Kern County, which is currently fully staffed and drawing applicants from Bakersfield.

Delano Police Department

The police agency serving the city of Delano in Kern County, which is offering hiring bonuses and incentive pay to recruit experienced officers.

The details

The department briefly reached full staffing earlier this year by hiring ahead of expected losses, but departures have since outpaced new hires. More Bakersfield officers are applying to the Shafter Police Department, which is fully staffed with about 10 candidates waiting for an opening.

Earlier this year, the Bakersfield Police Department briefly reached full staffing.
This year, the department is losing about 50 officers.
This past year, Delano hired four lateral officers from neighboring agencies.

Legal Context

The Bakersfield staffing crisis reflects a statewide California police officer shortage that has intensified competition among agencies for experienced officers. Neighboring Kern County departments are now using bonuses and schedule incentives to pull officers away from the city's force.

Residents may see changes in police availability and response capacity as the department works to rebuild its ranks. Businesses and neighborhoods in Bakersfield depend on consistent staffing for patrols and emergency response.

The takeaway

Staffing competition among Kern County agencies means experienced officers have more options than ever, and Bakersfield's ability to retain them will shape local policing capacity in the months ahead.