California Highway Patrol


The California Highway Patrol is the principal state police agency for the U.S. state of California. The CHP has primary jurisdiction, including patrol and investigations, over all California freeways and state property. Additionally, the CHP is responsible for the enforcement of all laws regulating the operation of vehicles on highways, including all roadways, outside incorporated city limits. The CHP can exercise law enforcement powers anywhere within the state.
The California State Legislature originally established the California Highway Patrol as a branch of the Division of Motor Vehicles in the Department of Public Works, with legislation signed by Governor C. C. Young on August 14, 1929. It was subsequently established as a separate department with legislation signed by Governor Earl Warren in 1947. The CHP gradually assumed increased responsibility beyond the enforcement of the State Vehicle Act and eventually absorbed the smaller California State Police in 1995. It is currently organized as a department under the California State Transportation Agency.
In addition to its highway patrol duties, the CHP also provides other services including protecting state buildings and facilities and guarding state officials. The CHP also works with municipal and federal law enforcement agencies, providing assistance in investigations, patrol and other aspects of law enforcement.
The California Highway Patrol is the largest state police agency in the United States, with 11,000 employees, over 7,600 of whom are sworn, according to a study in December 2019.
The CHP gained international recognition in the late 1970s and the early 1980s, through the broadcast of the TV series CHiPs, which chronicled the adventures of two fictional CHP motorcycle officers.

Duties

The CHP is responsible for public safety and law enforcement on all freeways and expressways, throughout the state, regardless of whether the freeway is within the boundaries of an incorporated city. Additionally, the CHP is responsible for the enforcement of all laws regulating the operation of vehicles, and the use of the highways and public roads in unincorporated portions of a county. Local police or the local sheriff's department having a contract with an incorporated city are primarily responsible for investigating and enforcing traffic laws within the boundaries of an incorporated city; however, any peace officer of the CHP may enforce any state law anywhere within the state, even though the agency's primary mission is related to transportation. Furthermore, CHP officers act as bailiffs for the California Supreme Court and the six California Courts of Appeal, and also provide security at buildings occupied by the State of California.
CHP officers enforce the California Vehicle Code, pursue fugitives spotted on the highways, and attend to all significant obstructions and crashes within their jurisdiction. CHP officers are responsible for investigating and disposing of car accidents, disabled vehicles, debris, and other impediments to the flow of traffic. They are often the first responders at the scene of an accident, and in turn summon paramedics, firefighters, tow truck drivers, or Caltrans personnel. The CHP files traffic crash reports for state highways and within unincorporated areas. The CHP responds to and investigates all accidents involving school buses throughout the state including incorporated cities.
CHP also has Multidisciplinary Accident Investigation Teams for the investigation of complex traffic crashes.
Officers patrol in various vehicles including the 2014–2021 Ford Police Interceptor Utility, 2016–2023 Dodge Charger, and in 2015 Chevrolet Tahoe. In alternate duties, Officers have been utilizing some police cars from the early 2000s such as Ford Expeditions. Mobile Road Enforcement Officers delegated with enforcing commercial vehicles utilize the 2016 Ford F-250 and 2016–2023 Ram 1500.

Special responsibilities

The CHP also publishes data on traffic accidents in California from a database called SWITRS.
After the September 11, 2001 attacks, the CHP became responsible for securing and patrolling a number of potential terrorist targets in California. These sites include nuclear power plants, government buildings, and key infrastructure sites. The CHP also maintains a SWAT team on 24‑hour stand‑by to respond to any terrorist activity.
In September 2005, the CHP sent its two Mobile Field Forces to the Gulf Coast to assist in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Before the National Guard arrived, the CHP had four patrol helicopters over Marianna, Florida, more than eighty vehicles on the ground, and more than 200 officers and other staff, including a SWAT team, deployed in New Orleans.
The CHP also has officers assigned to drug task forces and other criminal investigative task forces throughout the state, and maintains highly trained Warrant Service Teams throughout each of its Divisions. These teams serve high-risk felony arrest and search warrants generated as a result of CHP investigations, and the WST assists local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies to serve the same type of high-risk warrants. CHP investigators also work closely with agents of the State Bureau of Investigation, Office of the Attorney General.
The CHP also has a Special Response Team for rapidly responding to natural disasters or civil disturbances throughout the state. Specialized training and equipment help to quickly quell unrest, preserve life, prevent property damage, and ensure the safety of the public.
Additionally, the CHP has dozens of narcotic patrol and explosive detection K-9 teams stationed throughout the state.
The California Highway Patrol's additional responsibilities includes a governor protection detail.
Somewhat controversially, the cities of Oakland and Stockton have contracted with the California Highway Patrol to assist their police departments with local patrol duties, including traffic stops and responding to 911 calls.

Pay and pensions

Average officer pay was $118,000 in 2014. By law, salaries are set by an average of the five largest police departments in the state. In 2012, the top paid CHP officer received $483,581, 44 other officers earning over $200,000, and over 5,000 officers receiving over $100,000. In 2011, CHP officers earned $82.4 million in overtime, triple the amount in the second largest state, and with one officer earning over $93,000 in overtime alone. Officers are strictly prohibited from working more than 16.5 hours at a time before having to take a minimum eight-hour break.
In 1999, Governor Gray Davis signed SB 400, which allowed CHP officers to retire at age 50 and continue receiving as much as 90% of their peak pay as a pension. This raised the pension earned for 30 years of service from an average of $62,218 to $96,270. Officers' average retirement age is 54. New officers have a retirement age of 57 in accordance with CalPers 2.7% at 57 formula. As of 2019, a new contract was negotiated with the state, causing officers to increase their contribution to the retirement plan by deferring any percentage over 3% of their annual raise towards their pension. This brings their contribution closer to a 50–50 split with the state, while boosting state contributions toward the officers' retirements from other sources.

Organization and accreditation

The CHP is led by the Commissioner, who is appointed by the Governor of California. The Deputy Commissioner is also appointed by the Governor and the Assistant Commissioners are appointed by the Commissioner.
On February 3, 2023, Acting Commissioner Duryee was appointed to Commissioner by Governor Gavin Newsom.

Hierarchy

  • Commissioner of the Highway Patrol — Sean A. Duryee
  • * Office of Employee Relations
  • * Deputy Commissioner of the Highway Patrol — Ezery O. Beauchamp
  • ** Office of Inspector General
  • ** Office of Community Outreach & Media Relations
  • ** Office of Legal Affairs
  • ** Office of Internal Affairs
  • ** Office of Risk Management
  • ** Office of Equal Employment Opportunity
  • ** Assistant Commissioner, Field Operations — Rodney D. Ellison II
  • *** Northern Division
  • *** Valley Division
  • *** Golden Gate Division
  • *** Central Division
  • *** Southern Division
  • *** Border Division
  • *** Coastal Division
  • *** Inland Division
  • *** Office of Air Operations
  • *** Protective Services Division
  • **** Capitol Protection Section
  • **** Dignitary Protection Section
  • **** Judicial Protection Section
  • ** Assistant Commissioner, Staff Operations — Robin M. Johnson
  • *** Administrative Services Division
  • *** Enforcement and Planning Division
  • *** Information Management Division
  • *** Office of Employee Safety and Assistance
  • *** Personnel and Training Division
In 2010 the CHP received initial accreditation by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies. Upon receiving this honor, the CHP became the largest CALEA-accredited law enforcement agency in the nation.
On November 16, 2013, the CHP Academy was formally recognized as an accredited Public Safety Training Academy by CALEA, becoming the first accredited state police training academy in the nation. Additionally, the department succeeded in its bid for Advanced Law Enforcement reaccreditation, and remains the largest accredited law enforcement agency in the nation.On November 22, 2014, the CHP communications centers were formally accredited by CALEA under the Public Safety Communications Agencies Accreditation Program. Having received this honor, the CHP became the first accredited state highway patrol in the nation to receive communications accreditation.
Having received accreditation status for its communications centers, the CHP became one of only two agencies in California to receive the CALEA TRI-ARC award, which is given to agencies having concurrent CALEA accreditation for their law enforcement, public safety communications and public safety training Academy. The CHP is one of nearly 20 agencies to have received this award.