Transportation

From the time the first offender was arrested in Kern County, the Sheriff has always been faced with the task of transporting prisoners. Whether to court, medical appointments, other institutions, or from other jurisdictions, prisoner transportation has always been an element of the Sheriff’s duties. The presence of the Sheriff has also long been required in the courts to provide a safe and secure atmosphere for the dispensing of justice. Not much has changed over the years in the way these duties are performed, except the volume of the prisoners, the number of courts, institutions, facilities, and the modes of travel.

The Transportation Unit is responsible for transporting inmates to and from the nine Superior Courts throughout the County, The unit transports inmates to and from medical appointments daily. Duties also include transporting inmates to and from other prisons, medical institutions, and facilities up and down the state. The unit coordinates moving inmates across the United States through extraditions.

The unit facilitates the transportation of Federal inmates in accordance with our contracts with the United States Mashal’s Service. These transports include moving inmates to and from our facilities to the Federal Court building, the Federal Airlift, and the Federal Courthouse in Los Angeles. The Transportation Unit also assists with various other types of transportation needs for the Sheriff’s Office.