Why Safety in Oxnard Will Always Be Personal to Me
I’ve been an Oxnard resident for well over 30 years, and public safety is personal to me. I know what it's like to call 911 for someone you love and count every second until help arrives, and that's exactly the kind of response I want every Oxnard family to have. For thirteen years on the City Council, I’ve backed that up with real votes, real funding, and real partnerships with the people who show up when we need them most.
Putting Our Money Where It Matters
After years of cuts left our departments stretched thin, I’ve supported steadily rebuilding Oxnard’s public safety budgets, starting with police and fire: roughly $8 million to rebuild our Neighborhood Policing Team’s staffing and equipment, and just last year, $1.2 million to upfit a new ladder truck, two fire engines, and a paramedic squad. Public safety continues to be the biggest place your tax dollars go. That’s where my priorities are, and where I intend to keep them.
Training the Next Generation of First Responders
One of the things I am most proud of is watching young people from right here in Oxnard grow into the paramedics and firefighters who will serve their own community. Through the Oxnard Fire Department’s EMS Corps, local youth ages 17 and a half to 26 get five months of paid training that leads directly into a career in fire, EMS, or healthcare. To me, that’s Oxnard investing in its own future.
Getting to Emergencies Faster and Safer
In December 2024, I voted to bring our Police Department into a new era of emergency response with the Drone as a First Responder program. Now, before an officer even reaches the scene of a fleeing suspect or a medical emergency, they can have eyes on what’s already happening. That means faster help for residents and safer outcomes for our officers. I’ve also supported strengthening the city’s cybersecurity, because keeping Oxnard safe means protecting the systems residents depend on too.
Standing With the People Who Serve
I don't take it lightly that Oxnard's own firefighters, through IAFF Local 1684, the Oxnard Public Safety Managers Association, and the National Latino Peace Officers Association-Advocacy have stood behind my campaign, alongside retired Assistant Police Chiefs Tom Cady and Bryan MacDonald You can see the full list of endorsements here. These are people who spent their careers protecting this city, and having them in my corner tells you something about the work: the people who know it best are the ones backing me to keep doing it.
“As the former Assistant Police Chief of the Oxnard Police Department, I've seen firsthand how Bert shows up and fights for Oxnard. He's always been a champion for public safety, and he makes sure officers have what they need to do their jobs.” -Bryan MacDonald, Assistant Oxnard Police Chief (Ret.)
This is Just the Start
District 1 residents don’t have to take my word for it. Look at the votes, look at the budgets, look at thirteen years of showing up. And there’s more I want to do: keep pushing for the resources our public safety departments need, including the things residents don’t always see, like getting Oxnard ready for the next earthquake, flood, or wildfire; keep listening when residents tell me what safety means to them; and keep treating public safety as the personal responsibility it’s always been to me, because this is my home too.
— Bert
If public safety matters to you as much as it matters to me, here's how you can help right now to help keep this work going in District 1:
