The Kern County Sheriff’s Office seeks to provide the public an unfiltered look at operations by allowing popular show “COPS” to film deputies in hopes it might spur applications for KCSO vacancies totaling to about 400 as of Wednesday.
“We get a bad reputation, like most agencies in the country, for doing the wrong thing,” said KCSO Sheriff Donny Youngblood in a phone interview, referring to a need to look at both sides of the issues surrounding law enforcement. “And people need to see what these youngsters have to deal with.”
He added deputies will not get paid for appearing on “COPS,” nor will they be affected by camera crews documenting their actions, because they already wear body-worn cameras. The sheriff didn’t immediately know when the show would begin filming.
“COPS” is filmed by Langley Productions. An agreement, stating the filmmaking company is an independent contractor, was approved Tuesday by a majority of the members of the Kern County Board of Supervisors as part of its consent agenda.
