What you need to know: The California Highway Patrol (CHP) swore in 119 new law enforcement officers today to protect and serve communities across the state. This group is CHP’s largest class of officers in over two years, and since the administration began its campaign to recruit 1,000 new officers. 

SACRAMENTO -  Governor Gavin Newsom today announced that the CHP has added 119 new officers to its ranks. The officers are the newest graduates from the CHP Academy and make up the largest graduating class in more than two years, marking progress toward meeting California’s CHP 1000 recruitment campaign.

“I am grateful to these officers for their service and commitment to protecting Californians and our neighborhoods. As this class advances to posts throughout the Golden State, they should do so with pride, knowing that they represent the best of California as public servants dedicated to making a positive difference in their communities.” - Governor Gavin Newsom

This celebratory day marks the end of an intensive 26-week training, with the new officers being sworn in by CHP Commissioner Sean Duryee during a graduation ceremony at the CHP Academy in West Sacramento.

These new officers will report to one of the 102 CHP Area offices throughout the state to begin serving the people of California. Following the launch of the CHP 1000 recruitment campaign and other recent recruitment efforts and hiring investments - including a new recruitment web series, “Cadets” - CHP reports increased numbers of cadets this year. California continues to see more applicants and recruits. With today’s class, a total of 528 officers have been added to CHP’s ranks in 2024, surpassing the total number of officers sworn in during 2023. Since 2023, more than 900 cadets have been sworn in as CHP officers.

At the CHP Academy, cadet training starts with nobility in policing, leadership, professionalism and ethics, and cultural diversity. Cadets also receive instruction on mental illness response and crisis intervention techniques, among other core information related to their positions.

Join today

You can be one of the 1,000 new CHP officers ready to make a difference. Apply and register for an upcoming hiring seminar. 

The CHP has seen an outpouring of interest in joining the ranks since the onset of a multiyear recruitment campaign in June 2022. In the first six months of 2024, the CHP received more than 11,700 cadet applications - a 58% increase from the same period in 2022. To accommodate the surge of interest, the CHP has been holding three Academy classes simultaneously for the first time in the Department’s history. The next CHP Academy graduation is scheduled for November 15, 2024.

How we got here

 California has invested resources and personnel since 2019 to fight crime, help local governments hire more police, and improve public safety. In 2023, as part of California’s Real Public Safety Plan, the Governor announced the largest-ever investment to combat organized retail crime in state history, an annual 310% increase in proactive operations targeting organized retail crime, and special operations across the state to fight crime and improve public safety.

A recording of the ceremony is available here.