![A face behind the voice at Bakersfield PD’s dispatch unit](https://behindthebadge.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/210415-WPD-Dispatchers-01-SJG-702x475.jpg)
A face behind the voice at Bakersfield PD’s dispatch unit
0When it comes to first responders, dispatchers are often the unsung heroes behind the scenes. They are the first voice people hear after they dial 9-1-1. They are the helpers offering a steady voice during a moment of crisis. Behind the Badge spoke to Bakersfield Police Department Dispatcher Erica Williams, who found this rewarding career when she least expected it. Now, she can’t imagine doing anything else. Name: Erica Williams How long have you been a dispatcher at Bakersfield PD: 9 ½ years. How did you find yourself in this career? This was originally supposed to be a stop-gap between…
![Bakersfield Police Department hosts National Night Out](https://behindthebadge.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/IMG_7997-351x185.jpg)
The Bakersfield Police Department will host its 39th Annual National Night Out from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday, October…
![Recruit Training Officer discovers you have to be ‘cruel to be kind’ at Bakersfield Police Department](https://behindthebadge.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/IMG_2549-1-351x185.jpg)
The first thing you notice about Officer Macarena Garner is she’s about 5 feet tall. Maybe 5’1” when she’s wearing…
![Column: Don’t wear sandals to Bakersfield Police Department’s S.W.A.T school](https://behindthebadge.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/bearcat_bpd-e1661788564730-351x185.jpg)
We arrived at Bakersfield Police Department’s S.W.A.T (Special Weapons and Tactics) school tucked away in the outskirts of downtown shortly…
![Bakersfield Police Department brings aboard specialist to answer mental health calls](https://behindthebadge.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/IMG_6574-351x185.jpg)
The phones at Bakersfield Police Department’s communications center urgently ring throughout the day with emergency calls ranging from welfare checks…