131 New CHP Officers Hit The Streets

[SgtCHP]

CALIFORNIA WELCOMES 131 NEW HIGHWAY PATROL OFFICERS

A set of identical twins and a female Army helicopter pilot make up the second wave of the first major expansion of the CHP in decades
(Sacramento) The California Highway Patrol (CHP) has added 131 new officers to the ranks. Among those sworn to protect and serve are identical twin brothers from Ceres and a female Army helicopter pilot from Sanger, who served in Iraq.

As formal training for this diverse group of men and women ends, these newly sworn CHP officers begin their service with one of the finest law enforcement agencies in the world.

The Serrato twins, Gerardo and Fabio, will be separated for the first time; with Gerardo assigned to the Oakland area office and Fabio to the East Los Angeles area office. Meanwhile, Officer Kaci Lutz, who’s still active in the military as a member of the California National Guard, will join her husband, Officer Chris Lutz in CHP’s Monterey area office.

“They have earned, and should take great pride in their new position as an officer of the California Highway Patrol,” said CHP Commissioner Mike Brown. “This career will be both challenging and sometimes dangerous; becoming a CHP officer is a show of service and commitment to California.”

This graduating class marks the second wave of the first major expansion of the CHP in nearly four decades. In March, 136 new officers were added to the CHP’s nearly 7,000 uniformed personnel who patrol more than one million miles of roadway throughout the state of California.

In an effort to continue to address the growth in population and licensed drivers and to enhance public safety, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s 2007-08 proposed state budget provides for additional expansion of the CHP by 120 officers. This increase would follow the previous year’s authorization by the governor to add 240 new positions.

A new class with as many as 190 prospective cadets begins training at the CHP Academy Monday, June 18. Cadet training at the 27-week, live-in academy includes vehicle patrol, crash investigation, first aid, firearms training, and learning California’s extensive Vehicle, Penal, and Health and Safety codes.

[willowdared]

Now they gotta hire some more dispatchers!

[1042 Trooper]

Good luck to them CHiPies. That's a long 6 months!

[SgtCHP]

Now they gotta hire some more dispatchers!

As we speak!!! Here is the site for Public Safety Dispatcher - CHP

http://www.chp.ca.gov/recruiting/html/communications.html

[Kilrain]

Groovy! Now get out there and write tickets, investigate traffic accidents and arrest DUI drivers.....................

[1042 Trooper]

Groovy! Now get out there and write tickets, investigate traffic accidents and arrest DUI drivers.....................

And fleeing homicide suspects, drug traffickers and Terrorists. Rescue children, old women and spagetti neck men. Recover stolen commercial vehicles worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. Find thousands of missing children, wantd felons and escapees. Control demonstrations and prson riots, take fatigues truck drivers off the road.

And save lives. Lots of lives.

[Kilrain]

And fleeing homicide suspects, drug traffickers and Terrorists. Rescue children, old women and spagetti neck men. Recover stolen commercial vehicles worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. Find thousands of missing children, wantd felons and escapees. Control demonstrations and prson riots, take fatigues truck drivers off the road.

And save lives. Lots of lives.

Uh..yeah, sure, if you say so. They would only be chasing a fleeing homicide suspect by luck, not due to investigation. I'm sure they work drug interdiction of some type however I've never seen it and I normally work a 23 mile stretch of Hwy 99 in California, one of the main north/south highways. Terrorist....?.....I don't recall of any terrorist takedowns by the CHP but that doesn't mean it hasn't happened.

Regarding the rescue of children, old women and "spegetti neck men(what is that?)", I'm sure they do some of that, mostly via traffic collisions I would reckon. I know we occasionally use their helicopter to assist in search and rescue, but then again we also use our own fixed wing aircraft and neighboring counties' helicopters too.

They do recover many stolen vehicles, both passenger and commercial, however if a "suspicious" vehicle is parked, they won't check it out. CHP dispatch has told me directly that they don't investigate suspicious vehicles, they investigate stolen vehicles therefore they expect another law enforcement agency to go check it out, determine if it is stolen for them, then call them for the recovery. Rollin' stolen, they'll be all over those provided the stolen status is verified.

Find thousands of missing children? Really? Sure about that are you? Uh, no. I don't think so. Even if they did locate a missing juvenile, they would simply call the local P.D. or Sheriff to take custody of the child and ensure that the child was returned home safely or turned over to the proper agency. Also, although they are required by law to accept missing person reports, they don't. If someone contacts them to report a missing, the refer that person to the local PD/Sheriff.

Find wanted felons? Yes, they do. I'm sure they bag a bunch of them, mostly car thieves, felony DUIs and warrants. Funny thing though, I've also had CHP stop a guy for a traffic violation only to find out he had a local warrant of some kind. Instead of arrest the guy, AS REQUIRED BY LAW, they call us. We tell them to handle it themselves, which means they let the guy walk. I've personally seen this happen three times. Regarding escapees, I'm sure they bag a few but no more than any other agency, particularly ones that are actually searching for escapees, like the local Sheriff, CDC, Parole, etc.

I'm not sure what demonstrations they would control, but I suppose they would be primary on ones around the governors office or the state capital, although they have their own police too. I'm sure they would function in a support role for LAPD, LASD or some other larger agencies at riots. As for prison riots, I doubt that at all. Pretty sure the CDC has that covered considering there are many thousands more CDC officers than CHP officers. I'm pretty sure a CDC guy would be indignant at the suggestion that the CHP would be called in to a California prison to quell a riot.

The CHP does indeed take fatigued drivers off the road, no doubt about that. They also save lives, thousands of lives, every year by arresting DUIs by the truck load, no doubt about that.

Why the long winded reply? I was bored mostly but the other reason is that the CHP does what they do really well, write tickets, investigate traffic accidents and arrest DUI drivers. The other things you listed are not really in their scope or area of responsibility and the CHP officers I've met don't really want anything to do those things.

[23109]

His reference to terrorists is the CHP's involvement in Homeland Security for California.

Pretty much every State Police (which the CHP is, despite the tag of Highway Patrol) has direct involvement for homeland security in their state.

As for warrants....of course calling a local agency or deputy is always offered. They love that sort of thing, and the CHP get's no credit for a warrant hook. As for releasing them, is that what they did ? Did they issue a promise to appear ? If it's a felony warrant it's gotta be 10-15, but a misdemeanor warrant can be issued a promise to appear unless it's a no-bail. Most jails won't take 'em if they're out of county or not a certain dollar amount anyway.

[willowdared]

Well, they are responsible for all traffic related issues in unincorporated areas of the state.

While they may not handle suspicious vehicles per se, but they do handle abandoned vehicles in the county.

They put their lives on the line every day.

[Kilrain]

His reference to terrorists is the CHP's involvement in Homeland Security for California.

Pretty much every State Police (which the CHP is, despite the tag of Highway Patrol) has direct involvement for homeland security in their state.

Okay, that's fair. Every "state police"(which the CHP ain't, but they are a state wide agency) has direct involvement with homeland security. B\However I stand by my statement, that the CHP has never arrested a "terrorist." This doesn't diminish what they do, which is important and good, but it does clarify that the CHP isn't out there hooking up Osama Bin Laden or his cohorts, which was implied.

As for warrants....of course calling a local agency or deputy is always offered. They love that sort of thing, and the CHP get's no credit for a warrant hook. As for releasing them, is that what they did ? Did they issue a promise to appear ? If it's a felony warrant it's gotta be 10-15, but a misdemeanor warrant can be issued a promise to appear unless it's a no-bail. Most jails won't take 'em if they're out of county or not a certain dollar amount anyway.

No offense, but what the heck are you talking about. Last time I checked, the face of an arrest warrant reads "To any peace officer", which would include that CHP officer. Failure to arrest a suspect who has an outstanding arrest warrant by a peace officer is, technically, a violation of 166(4) PC. Why wouldn't they do their job? They are peace officers, right? What does the fact that they get "no credit" for the hook have to do with it? Are we playing for points now or what? How about they do their job, would that be cool?

Releasing them you ask? Yes, that is exactly what they did, no CTA, no arrest, at least for the last one I saw since it was a no bail, misdemeanor warrant. I know they released him cause he was hooked the next day by a Deputy for the warrant.

Once again, CHP is really good at what they do, but they only do what they do, which is write tickets, investigate traffic collisions and arrest DUIs. The administrative stuff is all fluff and side jobs, not necessarily related to cop work. Checking the brakes on a big rig or school bus could easily be done by a non-peace officer. Sitting at a highway construction site with the emergency lights on could be done by..........nobody, just leave an old car with the lights on, the Caltrans guys can keep an eye on the car.

[Kilrain]

Well, they are responsible for all traffic related issues in unincorporated areas of the state.

True enough.

While they may not handle suspicious vehicles per se, but they do handle abandoned vehicles in the county.

? Here is how it works here. A citizen reports an abandoned vehicle to the CHP. The CHP calls the Sheriff's Department and requests that we check a suspicious vehicle, possibly abandoned. A Deputy goes and checks the vehicle, 28's the plate and determines that it is abandoned. The Deputy has dispatch recontact the CHP and advise that it is, indeed, an abandoned vehicle. The CHP responds when they can to tag the car.

The above situation applies to all highways I've seen, except major inter/intrastate highways, such as 99, 5, etc.

They put their lives on the line every day.

Yes, they do. I respect them for what they do and hanging it all out when doing their jobs. I just hate the fact that people think they are a full service law enforcement agency, which they are not. The write tickets, investigate traffic collisions and arrest DUIs, which is admirable, but hardly an example of law enforcement in general.

[23109]

Just a little clarification, the CHP as a department merged with the California State Police, and took it's duties.

Read here:

http://www.chp.ca.gov/html/merger.html

And if that's your narrow view of what the CHP actually does, I'm sorry you seem to feel that way. They do a heck of a lot more in my area.

[Kilrain]

Just a little clarification, the CHP as a department merged with the California State Police, and took it's duties.

Read here:

http://www.chp.ca.gov/html/merger.html

And if that's your narrow view of what the CHP actually does, I'm sorry you seem to feel that way. They do a heck of a lot more in my area.

I am well aware of the CHP/State Police merger however it did not encompass all State Police. There is a California State Hospital in this county that is staffed by California State Police. They wear tan/green uniforms, wear seven pointed badges, the DO NOT carry guns and their patches say California State Police. Their cars are all white with the emblem on the door that says, California State Police. The cars are equipped with red/blue light bars.

Regarding my narrow view of the CHP, perhaps you can enlighten me as to what, exactly, they do, beyond what I have said. They certainly don't investigate "traditional" crime, murder, rape, robbery, burglary, theft(grand or petty), ADW, assault, battery, spousal abuse, criminal threats, identity theft, etc. They enforce the Vehicle Code, it is their primary directive and duty. That means writing tickets, investigating traffic collisions and arresting DUIs. Yes, they do investigate vehicle theft rings, but even that seems few and far between, from what I've seen.

Once again, I respect them for what they do, but how am I wrong or narrow of vision?

[towncop]

Congrats to the men and women of this graduating CHP class. How come it is WHENEVER there is a thread started about a state police/highway patrol, no matter WHAT the topic, someone has to always come out of the wood work and downgrade them? Just an observation I've made over the past few years here at O.com.

[bulldog1097]

Congrats to the men and women of this graduating CHP class. How come it is WHENEVER there is a thread started about a state police/highway patrol, no matter WHAT the topic, someone has to always come out of the wood work and downgrade them? Just an observation I've made over the past few years here at O.com.

We should be happy that more LEO'S will be on the street. Lets welcome them, and support them. Remember, we are all one family!

Bulldog