BAKERSFIELD, Calif. --
A Bakersfield Police Officer was arrested Friday after police learned that he was engaging in sex acts with prostitutes while on duty.
"I am disappointed. The entire membership of the police department is disappointed and this is a very disturbing incident," said Bakersfield Police Chief Greg Williamson.
Williamson said an investigation revealed that since August, Smith allegedly engaged in sex acts with at least three prostitutes while on and off duty.
"When the acts occurred he was working solo. He was assigned to Union Avenue. He became interested in prostitution enforcement and has a record of conducting enforcement on prostitutes," said Williamson.
Smith allegedly participated in sex acts with prostitutes throughout the city and county, at the homes of the prostitutes and in his patrol car.
Last Sunday, one of the women Smith solicited came forward and reported the prostitution, the BPD reported.
Smith resigned from his job Tuesday.
Smith had been an officer for the department since July of 2007.
He is scheduled to be in court February 15.
The criminal investigation is ongoing.
Anyone with information regarding this investigation is encouraged to call Detective Keli Reed at 661-326-3544.
California Penal Code 647(b) states the following:
Every person who commits any of the following acts is guilty of disorderly conduct, a misdemeanor: (b) Who solicits or who agrees to engage in or who engages in any act of prostitution. A person agrees to engage in an act of prostitution when, with specific intent to so engage, he or she manifests an acceptance of an offer or solicitation to so engage, regardless of whether the offer or solicitation was made by a person who also possessed the specific intent to engage in prostitution. No agreement to engage in an act of prostitution shall constitute a violation of this subdivision unless some act, in addition to the agreement, is done within this state in furtherance of the commission of an act of prostitution by the person agreeing to engage in that act. As used in this subdivision, "prostitution" includes any lewd act between persons for money or other consideration.
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