Governor Newsom visits CHP Academy, highlights next generation of officers and California’s public safety progress

What you need to know: Governor Newsom visited the CHP Academy, meeting with senior class cadets and reiterating the state's investment in public safety gains.

WEST SACRAMENTO - Highlighting California's continued investment in the California Highway Patrol (CHP) and the next generation of officers helping keep communities safe, Governor Gavin Newsom yesterday visited the CHP Academy to meet with cadets preparing to graduate this fall.

Nearly 400 cadets are set to graduate from the CHP Academy this year, bringing the total number of CHP cadets to graduate since Governor Newsom took office to more than 2,900.

Public safety starts with the people who choose to serve and these cadets are the next generation of California Highway Patrol officers. Our investment in CHP is ultimately an investment in the people protecting Californians every day. We're seeing the results - crime is down across every major category, and we have the lowest homicide rate in state history.

Governor Gavin Newsom

In 2022, the Governor launched CHP's recruitment campaign to hire 1,000 additional CHP officers, and by 2024, that goal had been met - expanding the department's capacity to serve communities statewide and work alongside local law enforcement.

Under Governor Newsom, CHP's role in public safety has expanded, with officers and investigators working closely with local partners to target auto theft, organized crime, illegal firearms and other threats to communities.

One example is the CHP Crime Suppression Team model, which began with targeted deployments in communities facing significant public safety challenges. One year ago, Governor Newsom expanded the model to six regions across California.

The investment in CHP is part of California's broader state-local public safety strategy - adding capacity to local departments, strengthening investigations and targeting the people and networks driving crime.

That approach is producing results statewide. In 2025, every major crime category declined, including homicide, robbery, property crime, motor vehicle theft and violent crime. California's homicide rate fell to 3.5 per 100,000 - the lowest rate since statewide reporting began in 1966.

The state is continuing to invest in the officers, partnerships, technology and enforcement strategies needed to keep that progress going.

A b-roll package of the Governor's visit to the CHP Academy can be downloaded here.