California adds largest graduating class of Highway Patrol officers in 16 years to its police force

What you need to know: 146 new California Highway Patrol officers were sworn in today to protect communities statewide.

West Sacramento, California - Today, Governor Gavin Newsom congratulated 146new California Highway Patrol (CHP) officers - the largest graduating class since December 2009 - underscoring the state's enduring commitment to public safety and public service.

After 26 weeks of rigorous training at the CHP Academy in West Sacramento, these newly sworn officers will report to one of 102 offices across the state, building on a stronger foundation for the generations of officers to come.

This new class of CHP officers graduating today represents the best of California, making a difference protecting California communities. I'm thankful for their service and dedication.

Governor Gavin Newsom

Over 600CHP officers have been sworn in so far in 2025 as the Department continues a statewide push to enhance public safety.

"Today's graduates embody the heart of service and sacrifice that defines our profession," said CHP Commissioner Sean Duryee. "These men and women have chosen the path of dedication to others, and we are proud to welcome them into the ranks of law enforcement as they begin their journey to protect and serve California's communities with integrity and compassion."

During academy training, cadets receive instruction in traffic enforcement, crash investigation, defensive tactics, firearms, emergency vehicle operations and community policing - including a 5-mile run earlier this week. The curriculum also focuses on legal responsibilities, communication, ethics and cultural awareness to prepare cadets to serve California's diverse population.

These graduates bring a diverse set of skills and abilities to the Department. Several have prior public safety backgrounds, including college athletes, military personnel and correctional officers.

Strong regional law enforcement partnerships

In August, Governor Newsom announced the next phase of the state's crime-fighting efforts - deploying new CHP crime suppression teamsto work directly with local law enforcement in major cities and regions across the state - San Diego, Inland Empire, Los Angeles, Central Valley, Sacramento, and the San Francisco Bay Area.

CHP officers assigned to Crime Suppression Teams have already saturated high-crime areas, which has led to 409 arrests, 156 stolen vehicles recovered, and 25 illicit firearms seized since expanding these crime-fighting efforts.

Crime is down in California, again

Due to $1.7 billionin public safety investments since 2019, nearly every major crime category, including violent crime and homicides, dropped in 2024, according to datareleased by the California Department of Justice.

Adding to positive preliminary results of lower crime in key areas statewide, data compiled by the eight most populous California cities for the first six months of 2025 show overall violent crime is down 12.5% compared to 2024. Other non-California cities experienced an 11.8% decline in violent crime.

According to the Major Cities Chiefs Association, there's been a 20% drop in homicides and 19% decrease in robberies in California so far in 2025.

The largest overall declines in violent crime were reported by the police departments in Oakland (30%) and San Francisco (22%). While Los Angeles County is represented by three law enforcement agencies in this dataset, taken together, the overall violent crime declined by 11% in the region.

Overall, California has generally seen homicide, robbery, and property crime rates at or below pre-pandemic levels.

Last August, Governor Newsom signed into law the most significant bipartisan legislation to crack down on property crime in modern California history.Building on the state's robust laws and record public safety funding, these bipartisan bills offer new tools to bolster ongoing efforts to hold criminals accountable for smash-and-grab robberies, property crime, retail theft, and auto burglaries. While California's crime rate remains at near historic lows, these laws help California adapt to evolving criminal tactics to ensure perpetrators are effectively held accountable.

Join the CHP today

Following today's graduation ceremony, nearly 300 cadets remain at the CHP's live-in training facility, and an additional 160cadets are set to start instruction on October 13 as part of the Department's ongoing efforts to enhance public safety across the state.

Enhancing public safety remains a top priority for the Governor and in November 2024 California successfully met its multi-year CHP recruitment goal of 1,000 new officers to the force.

The CHP continues to actively recruit dedicated individuals who are ready to make a difference in communities throughout California. A career with the CHP offers comprehensive training, competitive benefits, and opportunities for professional growth and advancement.

To learn more about joining the CHP, please visit hereto take the first step towards a rewarding career in law enforcement.