“In the last seven years our county is not as safe as it once was,” Supervising Deputy District Attorney Cynthia Zimmer told 17 News.
After graduating from Loyola Law School in Los Angeles, Cynthia Zimmer, known as ‘Cindy’ to friends, joined the Kern County DA’s office in 1984.
It was a return for Zimmer, a CSUB alum.
“For the first thirteen years or so I was a rank and file deputy DA and I tried every thing from misdemeanors to homicides and every type of homicides,” explained Zimmer.
Zimmer rose through the ranks under the mentorship of former District Attorney Ed Jagels–whose endorsement Zimmer touts–to become supervisor of the gang unit handling violent crimes like homicides and drive by shootings.
“Gang violence is our number one public safety problem in Kern County,” argued Zimmer.
In that role, Zimmer found a passion.
In 2015, Zimmer prosecuted Billy Ray Johnson, known as the ‘East Side Rapist.’
In 2011, Zimmer put Kerry Hastings behind bars for three gang related murders.
We spoke with Zimmer in east Bakersfield in an area full of gang graffiti.
If elected, Zimmer hopes to have a stronger presence in Sacramento.
“I want to roar like a lion, regarding what is happening. I want to educate people in this community about the next time the legislature wants to pass a bill–they got to know what’s going to truly happen.
Zimmer has also earned the endorsement of several law enforcement unions including the Kern Law Enforcement Association and the Bakersfield Police Officers Association.
“Why? Because they know me and they know my work, they know they can depend on me….they know when the going gets tough I will step up and file their case, I will take it into court and I will win it,” said Zimmer.
She chose not to weigh in on the Giumarra DUI case.
“To make opinions, which I think the public does a lot, I don’t want to fall into that, because my information in that case is based on what I’ve read in the paper,” said Zimmer.
Zimmer hopes to make a difference here at home.
“These children that are around here, some of whom are watching this interview, deserve to walk to school without seeing [graffiti] or hear gunshots. We deserve better, and I’m passionate about making it better for Kern County residents,” Zimmer concluded.
Remember barring something unexpected this race will be over in June if one candidate gets more than 50% of the vote.
