It’s been three years since the last major street takeover in Bakersfield was shut down by the Bakersfield Police Department, thanks to a massive joint operation that changed how law enforcement handles these illegal gatherings.
The operation took place on December 30, 2022, at the intersection of Old River and McCutchen in southwest Bakersfield, where BPD unveiled new tactics to break up these events.
I sat down with Sgt Travis Harless, supervisor of the Violent Criminal Apprehension Team or V-CAT. Three years ago, he was one of the architects of the street takeover takedown team, which culminated in a massive bust involving more than 80 officers from three agencies…