The California Highway Patrol (CHP) is the state police force of California, originally a highway patrol agency created in 1929 to ensure road safety in California, it assumed greater responsibility as time went on. It now protects state buildings and facilities, conducts criminal investigations and assists local law enforcement agencies.
Highway Patrol Duties
The agency patrols all state-maintained highways, including all freeways. Its officers enforce the provisions of the California Vehicle Code (especially the prohibition on speeding), pursue fugitives spotted on the highways, and attend to all significant obstructions. They patrol in Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptors, motorcycles, and helicopters.
CHP officers are responsible for investigating and disposing of car accidents, debris, dead animals, and anything else that may be impeding the free flow of traffic. They are often the first government agents at the scene of an accident (or other obstruction), and in turn summon paramedics, tow truck drivers, or Caltrans personnel as required.
CHP officers often run what are known as traffic breaks to enable other officers ahead to clean up accidents or obstructions safely. This is done by the officer activating his unit's rear or overhead flashing lights, waiting for surrounding traffic to drop back, and then swerving violently back and forth across all lanes of the freeway to gently force the traffic behind him to an eventual stop. Traffic breaks can be a frightening sight for out-of-state visitors or children who have never seen them before.
Special responsibilities
The CHP also publishes data on traffic accidents in California from a database called SWITRS (Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System).
After the September 11, 2001 attacks the CHP became responsible for securing and patrolling all suspected terrorist targets in the State of California. These sites include the Bay Bridge, nuclear power plants, government buildings, and key infrastruture sites. They also maintain a SWAT team on 24 hour stand-by to respond to any terrorist activity.
Traditions
CHP uniforms are traditionally beige-colored, and the cars are in the traditional black and white.
Like any law enforcement agency, the CHP has developed certain colorful traditions, such as its own arcane system of radio codes. The most important is 11-99 (officer needs assistance). In 1981, a charitable foundation was founded with that name to provide benefits and scholarships to officers and their families.
History
The darkest day in the patrol's history was April 6, 1970, when four CHP officers were ambushed and gunned down in less than five minutes in Newhall, California . "The Newhall Incident" has since become an important part of the training of all CHP officers, as the tragic loss at Newhall led to major reforms in traffic stop procedures.
On July 12, 1995, the California State Police was merged into the CHP, thus greatly expanding the agency's mandate. In addition to safety on the state's roads, it is now responsible for the safety of all state elected officials and all people who work in or are utilizing a state building in California, such as the State Capital Building in Sacramento.
Media references
CHiPs was a fictional television drama show of the 1970s about the CHP, and the CHP also helped out in the 1955 TV show Highway Patrol starring Broderick Crawford.
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