Golden State Today

Yesterday, the California Highway Patrol (CHP) celebrated a significant milestone with the graduation of 121 cadets. This event marked the culmination of a multiyear effort to recruit 1,000 new officers aimed at enhancing public safety across California.

The initiative began in June 2022 as part of California's broader strategy to bolster law enforcement by filling officer positions statewide. The campaign has successfully attracted widespread interest, evidenced by more than 11,700 cadet applications received in the first half of 2024 alone—a notable increase of 58% compared to the same period in 2022.

Since 2019, California has allocated additional resources and personnel to address crime and assist local governments in hiring more police officers. In line with this commitment, the Governor announced a historic investment in combating organized retail crime as part of California's Real Public Safety Plan in 2023. This included an annual increase of 310% in proactive operations targeting such crimes and special operations throughout the state.

For those interested in joining CHP, an upcoming officer hiring seminar is scheduled for Tuesday, November 26.