ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT
MEETING DATE: January 21, 2026 AGENDA CATEGORY: Reports TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
FROM: Christian Clegg, City Manager
DATE: January 21, 2026
SUBJECT: Jail Bed Task Force Update
[Document Description]
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff will provide a presentation to the City Council related to the work of the Jail Bed Task Force. Staff recommends that the City Council discuss the update and provide direction on how staff should proceed in collaborating with the County of Kern, City of Taft, and other partner agencies in addressing the need for greater accountability in the criminal justice system.
BACKGROUND:
The City continues to apprehend hundreds of chronic low-level criminal suspects every month. The City has significantly increased our capacity to enforce against criminal behavior. Thanks to the Public Safety & Vital Services Measure, we have 120 more patrol officers today than we did in 2019.
However, due to the lack of available local jail beds, these suspects are often released soon after they are arrested. More than 80% of those releases happen in less than 24 hours.
During the September 10, 2025, meeting of the City Council, Councilmember Smith requested that the City create a Jail Bed Task Force, comprised of Councilmembers Bashirtash and Smith along with a diverse set of stakeholders representative of the community.
The task force held meetings on September 24, October 29 and December 3. City staff and Councilmembers Smith and Bashirtash have also had follow up meetings specific to this topic with the Superior Court Presiding Judge, the Sheriff’s Offic e, the District Attorney’s Office, the City of Taft, Kern Health Systems, Kern Behavioral Health and Recovery Services and Kern Medical. City officials toured the Taft Community Correction Facility and will tour County Jail facilities on the morning of January 21.
During meetings of the task force, a framework has been developed for addressing each of the following categories that present challenges and opportunities in holding individuals accountable for chronic offenses:
Behavioral Health and Wrap-around Services
Booking
Medical Clearances
Detention
Sentencing
Minimum Jail Facility
Liability
The task force has reviewed former and existing efforts to address jail bed capacity. The group has discussed known challenges and explored potential solutions. The task force is in the process of further analyzing potential solutions, researching efforts in comparable communities, and identifying concrete next steps.
Staff will provide a presentation to the City Council reporting on the work of the ta sk force, outline potential next steps and confirm the direction for continuing to collaborate with partner agencies.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Fiscal impacts are yet to be determined.
COUNCIL GOAL:
Safety and Resilience
ATTACHMENTS:
None