Assistant Chief Greg Terry has been selected by City Manager Christian Clegg as the City of Bakersfield’s Chief of Police. The appointment is effective immediately.
Chief Terry, who has served as acting Chief since Lyle Martin’s retirement from the position on December 28, 2019, is a 23-year veteran with the Bakersfield Police Department.
“I am very pleased to appoint Greg Terry as our Chief of Police,” Clegg said. “I am confident we are in good hands. Greg has an outstanding history in public service and has already demonstrated considerable leadership in the Bakersfield Police Department. Greg is a thoughtful, composed, and principled leader. He is the right person to lead the Department forward in our next chapter.”
“It is an honor and I am deeply humbled to lead the dedicated men and women of the Bakersfield Police Department,” Chief Terry said. “We will continue work every day to improve the Police Department’s responsiveness and to decrease crime. We will aim to develop many diverse partnerships that solve problems and make our community safe, healthy, and prosperous for everyone.”
Chief Terry began his law enforcement career in his hometown of Lafayette, LA when he was hired by that city’s police department in 1990. After serving in a variety of roles with that department, Terry joined the Bakersfield Police Department in 1997.
With experience in several line level and supervisory positions with the BPD – including Patrol, the Special Enforcement Unit, Investigations, Public Information Office and Internal Affairs – Terry was promoted to Assistant Chief in 2017, overseeing the Operations, Investigations, and Support Services Divisions.
Chief Terry has a Master’s Degree in Law Enforcement and Public Safety Leadership, a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice Administration, and is a graduate of the POST Command College Class 63, Sherman Block Supervisory Leadership Institute Class 303, and POST Executive Development Course.
He is an active member in the community with the Bakersfield Police Activities League, Kern County Work Force Youth Committee, and the Kern County Network for Children Governing Board. Chief Terry is also a member of the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF), the California Police Chiefs Association, and the California Peace Officers Association.
As Police Chief, Terry will lead the Department as it continues to grow. Funding from the Public Safety & Vital Services Measure is paying for the hiring of 100 new officers in order to improve police response times, reduce crime and increase neighborhood patrols.
The Department is also expected this spring to complete its rollout of a new body-worn camera program which will outfit all officers with more than 400 cameras to help strengthen community trust by improving the quality of evidence collected in criminal cases, as well as cut down on Department liability.