Kathy Erken, of Kathy Erken Bail Bonds
State License 1840706
Phone: 650-366-9111

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By: Tiffany Carboni

Kathy Erken, of Kathy Erken Bail Bonds, has a tough job. Though her calm demeanor, reminiscent of a kindergarten teacher, would leave some thinking otherwise, this former real estate agent's smooth, soft femininity makes people feel at ease, even those who have been sentenced to jail for unthinkable crimes.

As a bail bondswoman in Redwood City, Erken's days are filled with the law and those who have broken it. She, however, reserves her judgment on those who have been incarcerated. "Sometimes," she says matter-of-factly, "good people get caught up in bad situations. You never know if something like that could happen to you."

Say, for instance, you pick up someone in your car, innocently enough, trying to help that person out. Say you get pulled over for something as silly as a broken taillight while doing this. Now, if the officer has any suspicion, he may have the right to search your new companion. In doing so, this person could plant whatever illegal item he may be carrying on you. Guess who will be going to jail? That's right, you. And thankfully Erken is there to bail you out.

Erken understands how something so innocent can turn ugly. She also sees the not so fabulous aspects of people. However, whether it is possession of drugs or spousal abuse, Erken has devoted her life to helping people whom she feels are capable of turning their lives around positively. In fact, the most rewarding aspect of her job she says is, "that rewarding feeling I get when I have intelligently released someone back to his or her family. Sometimes they even come back to let me know how they are doing."

There have been times when Erken has trusted people by letting them out on bail, only to see them flee the area. "We have a little time to surrender a defendant back into the custody of the court," she says.

The first thing Erken will do is a full investigation on the runaway. Once she locates her missing defendant, she has bail recovery agents go and bring that person out of hiding. Erken then follows the bail recovery agents and supervises the apprehension. Erken explains, "We take full liability of what happens to our defendant, so I need to make sure each situation is under control."

To contact Kathy Erken, call Kathy Erken Bail Bonds at (650) 363-2245.