Police chief encourages the public to report problems and graffiti
What would Tehachapi Police Chief Richard Standridge like businesses and residents to do when they observe criminal behavior or something that’s just not right?
“Call us,” he told members of the Greater Tehachapi Chamber of Commerce during a luncheon meeting on July 16.
Sometimes, the chief said, he’s not aware of problems until he sees them discussed on social media.
“We want you to let us know,” the chief said, noting that 911 can be used to report emergencies, and the department’s non-emergency number is also easy to remember: 661-822-2222.
A little more than a year ago, Standridge took the helm at Tehachapi PD, becoming the third chief since the city reestablished a police department in 2007.
Since then, with approval from the Tehachapi City Council, he’s reorganized the department and hired and promoted staff.
“If all goes according to plan, within 90 days, your police department will be fully staffed,” he said.
Funds from Measure
S — additional sales tax approved by city voters in November 2022 — have allowed increased staffing and supported additional training and equipment, Standridge noted. Police now wear body cameras and some have new vehicles. Response times have improved by an average of 30 seconds over last year and the year before.
“Because of our staffing and our responsiveness to our citizens’ needs, when we get a priority call, we are actually faster getting there to you and providing the service,” he said. “So I want to encourage everybody to continue to use us. We work for you. That’s your communication center. I don’t care how silly you think the call may be.”
The chief said recent arrests have shown that much of the crime committed within the city is tied to people who live elsewhere.
Recently, he’s concerned about graffiti and unsafe driving — specifically the fast-and-furious style events known as sideshows.
“Kids are a lot smarter than they used to be,” he said, and use social media to set up impromptu gatherings, even within the city. New social media platforms allow messages to disappear shortly after they are sent to gather a crowd to participate in or watch a sideshow. Driving stunts are sometimes only discovered because of the tell-tale burnout on the road.
Excessive speed has become so much of an issue that Tehachapi PD recently sent two officers to training to upgrade traffic investigation skills, Standridge said. The department has purchased a LiDAR system to allow it to monitor speed.
Graffiti has become more of a problem locally, also, with tagging taking place at Meadowbrook Park just outside the city, as well as Central Park, West Park, Warrior Park and local schools.
“If you have graffiti, please call it in,” Standridge said. “Don’t just cover it up.”
He said the department keeps a book to track the types of graffiti and when it was discovered with a goal of being able to make a case when taggers are caught.
Standridge also shared some of his philosophy of policing.
“It all starts with quality of life,” he said, noting that those issues are more important to him than “zero tolerance on crime,” and that communities that are well-kept have lower crime rates.
The addition of a second code enforcement officer is helping the department address some of the quality of life issues, he added.
The chief also noted that the department is working toward reestablishing a police explorer program for youth ages 15 to 19. Also coming up will be outreach to retailers to help establish networking to address common problems, including shoplifting. And sometime soon, expect the department’s sector program to launch.
“The sector program is part of my community policing plan,” he said. “We’ll divide the city into four sectors with a sergeant and group of officers assigned to each.” Citizens will have a direct point of contact with someone in the police department focused on their sector.
COMING UP
Three special events involving the police department
are coming up.
On Thursday, July 25, the second “Coffee with a Cop” will be held at Mountain Coffee House on Mill Street from 7:30 to 9 a.m.
On Monday, Aug. 5, Tehachapi Night Out will be held from 5 to 8:30 p.m. at Philip Marx Central Park. Standridge said this event replaces National Night Out
with a more local focus.
He noted that an improved Shop With a Cop will return before Christmas, with outreach to the community to ensure that children in need are served.