Become a
CHP Officer

Canines are a vital law enforcement tool that are used to support the Department’s mission of providing safety, service, and security. Canines perform a variety of functions, including the detection of human scent, contraband and explosives. Canine officers must undergo an additional 11 weeks of intensive training with their K9 partner. Canine officers agree to this additional responsibility of training and caring for their police K9s who will be their responsibility 24/7.

As an officer with CHP, your job is providing safety, service, and security to the citizens and visitors of our state. You will have a chance to make a dramatic difference every day in one of the many law enforcement roles as a CHP officer. As a road patrol officer your primary duties include the apprehension of traffic law violators, investigation of traffic collisions, apprehension of drivers under the influence, and assisting disabled motorist.

Do you think you have what it takes to become a Motor Officer? The maneuverability and small size of a motorcycle offers many advantages when compared to traditional patrol vehicles. CHP Motorcycle Officers, or “Motors”, must attend and pass a two-week motor training course at the CHP Academy. The motor training course is extremely difficult. Half of the officers who attend this course are unable to pass. However, those who do graduate get rewarded with the enjoyment and freedom of getting paid to ride a motorcycle!

The SWAT Team resolves or mitigates high-risk or potentially hazardous incidents occurring at state facilities, serves as a rapid deployment force, and provides counter-assault team support to the Dignitary Protection Section and the Governor’s Protective Detail, as requested. The SWAT team also serves as a departmental resource for tactical training and high-risk operations.

The CHP has maintained an equestrian unit since Governor Pete Wilson merged the State Police with the CHP in 1995. Mounted patrol officers are responsible for the State Capitol and Capitol Park, as well as patrolling the hundreds of state properties in Downtown Sacramento. The MPU is used for general patrol and as an essential tool for crowd control during demonstrations or civil unrest situations, always ready to deploy at a moment’s notice.

Officers assigned to the Bicycle Patrol Program (BPU) patrol via mountain bike, in and around the State Capitol, as well as the hundreds of state facilities in Downtown Sacramento. The speed and agility of the BPU allows officers to respond swiftly to incidents, regardless of traffic situations or roadway obstructions that would otherwise slow responding patrol vehicles. The BPU also provides training to other CHP Areas, as well as other law enforcement agencies in need of specialized bicycle patrol programs.

We have over 150 crewmembers flying out of eight air units strategically located throughout the state. Our crews are highly trained professionals who begin their careers as patrol officers. Their skills allow them to successfully complete a multitude of missions including rescues from rocky cliffs, providing advanced life support to injured parties, and managing complex law enforcement events. Every year our crews prevent tragedies by saving hundreds of lives.

The COU is tasked with providing road patrol for: On-Highway Inspections, Variance Load Escorts, Level VI/Radiological Escorts, Litter Enforcement Day, Operation Air Brake Check, and Public Awareness of Commercial Trucks (PACT). Other tasks may include participating in Strike Force Operations, Allied Agency Task Forces, Multi-Agency Strike Force Operation (MASFO), Public Utilities Commission (PUC) Strike Force, and California Air Resource Board (CARB).

The HDD consists of technicians and investigators with specialized skills and training in the detection, recognition, and disposal of explosive devices. With the assistance of explosives detection canines, HDD is the CHP’s front-line response to suspected explosive hazardous incidents at the State Capitol or any other state owned or leased property in and around Sacramento. CHP’s HDD is also a member of a regional HDD partnership that trains and collaborates to identify, mitigate and investigate hazardous devices throughout the greater Sacramento region.

FTOs are responsible for training new officers who have recently graduated from the CHP Academy. Field Training Officers help new officers develop knowledge, skills and abilities at both a personal and professional level. Field Training Officers have the responsibility of building the future and maintaining the professional reputation of the Department through the people they train.

Academy instructors are California Highway Patrol officers who are experts in their area of instruction. They provide instruction to cadets on subjects such as criminal law, enforcement tactics, vehicle code, driving under the influence, emergency vehicle operations, range, and many other topics. Academy Instructors must stay up to date on case law, technology, tactics, and law general enforcement trends.

Background investigators are CHP officers who conduct objective, thorough, comprehensive, fact-finding investigations on applicants. Investigators will prepare reports regarding an applicant’s criminal history, employment history, driving record, along with many other aspects of an applicant’s life. Background investigators will use this information to determine if an applicant is suitable for a career in law enforcement.

The primary mission of CPS is to provide law enforcement and safety services to the occupants and visitors of the State Capitol building and grounds, as well as the hundreds of state facilities in the Downtown Sacramento region. As part of their daily operations, CPS personnel deploy to the State Capitol 24 hours-per-day, 365 days-per-year, providing safety, service and security to all visitors and staff within the building, as well as the 40-acre park the State Capitol sits on.

Dignitary Protection Section (DPS) operates from both Los Angeles and Sacramento and is responsible for the protection of state constitutional officers including: the Governor, First Lady, Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of State, State Treasurer, State Controller, State Superintendent of Public Instruction, and the State Insurance Commissioner. When directed by the Commissioner’s Office, DPS provides protective services to other elected officials. DPS also provides, as directed, protective services to national and international dignitaries who are visiting California on official business. This includes: the advance security assessments of sites and locations to be visited, safe and secure transportation, protection at designated venues, collaboration with allied agency law enforcement, and other services as required.

The objective of MAIT is to provide the CHP with the means to conduct in-depth investigations and analyses of traffic collisions, when needed, throughout the state. Using state of the art technology, investigations include the reconstruction of an incident and a study of the factors that may have contributed to the incident. The factors include environmental, human and mechanical. They are associated with the three phases of a collision which are pre-collision, at-collision and post-collision. The ultimate objective of the team is the utilization of these identified causation factors to prevent collisions of a similar nature from recurring.