The California State Legislature originally established the California Highway Patrol as a branch of the Division of Motor Vehicles in the Department of Public Works, with legislation signed by Governor C. C. Young on August 14, 1929. It was subsequently established as a separate department with legislation signed by Governor Earl Warren in 1947. The CHP gradually assumed increased responsibility beyond the enforcement of the State Vehicle Act and eventually merged with the smaller California State Police in 1995.
In addition to its highway patrol duties, the CHP also provides other services including protecting state buildings, state facilities, and state officials. The CHP also works with municipal and federal law enforcement agencies, providing assistance in investigations, patrol and other aspects of law enforcement.
The California Highway Patrol is the largest state police agency in the United States, with more than 10,700 employees, 7,500 of whom are sworn officers, according to FBI data.
The agency is responsible for law enforcement on all public roads in the state. Local police or the local sheriff’s department having a contract with an incorporated city are primarily responsible for investigating and enforcing traffic laws in incorporated cities, but any peace officer of the CHP can still enforce any state law anywhere within the state, even though the agency’s primary mission is related to transportation. Furthermore, CHP officers act as bailiffs for the California Supreme Court and California Court of Appeal, as well as providing security at buildings occupied by the State of California.
After the September 11, 2001 attacks the CHP became responsible for securing and patrolling a number of potential terrorist targets in California. These sites include nuclear power plants, government buildings, and key infrastructure sites. The CHP also maintains a SWAT team on 24‑hour stand‑by to respond to any terrorist activity.
Vehicles:
1979 brought the CHP multiple vehicle test. That year the CHP put a limited number of Ford Fairmonts, Chevy Malibus, Plymouth
Volare Wagons, and Chevy Camaro Z28’s on the road for an 18 month test. The test led to the purchase of Ford Mustangs in 1982, for use as traffic enforcement cars.
The CHP tried some marked Camaros in 1992, and used a few 1993 and 1994 (and 2001 and 2002) Camaros for truck enforcement. By 1994 however the performance of the full sized enforcement class vehicle (Chevy Caprice and Ford Crown Victoria) was near to that of the pony cars, so the CHP now longer needed to buy Camaros and Mustangs.The 1994 Caprice with its LT1 engine was faster than a 93 Mustang, with faster quater mile times and higher top speed.
The CHP uses other types of vehicles for special units, such as truck enforcement, or for use in areas where cars can go, like off road or mountain areas. Pickup trucks are used for truck enforcment. For mountain and bad weather areas of the state, the CHP has used vehicles such as Ford Expedition, Chevrolet Tahoe, Chevrolet Suburban, Jeep Cherokee, Ford Bronco, Dodge Ramcharger, Chevrolet Blazer, and AMC Eagle.
Vehicles Used:
| Year | Vehicles Used By The California Highway Patrol |
| 2019 | Dodge Charger Chevy Tahoe PPV (Rural) |
| 2018 | Dodge Charger Chevy Tahoe PPV (Rural) |
| 2017 | Dodge Charger Chevy Tahoe PPV (Rural) |
| 2016 | Dodge Charger |
| 2015 | Ford Police Interceptor Utility (Explorer) |
| 2014 | Ford Police Interceptor Utility (Explorer) |
| 2013 | Ford Police Interceptor Utility (Explorer) |
| 2011 | Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor |
| 2010 | Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor |
| 2009 | Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor |
| 2008 | Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor Dodge Charger |
| 2007 | Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor |
| 2006 | Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor |
| 2006 | Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor |
| 2004 | Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor |
| 2003 | Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor |
| 2002 | Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor Chevrolet Camaro coupe |
| 2001 | Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor |
| 2000 | Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor |
| 1999 | Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor |
| 1998 | Ford Crown Victoria |
| 1997 | Ford Crown Victoria |
| 1996 | Ford Crown Victoria |
| 1995 | Chevrolet Caprice |
| 1994 | Chevrolet Caprice |
| 1993 | Ford Crown Victoria Ford Mustang coupe |
| 1992 | Ford Crown Victoria Ford Mustang coupe Chevrolet Camaro coupe |
| 1991 | Ford Crown Victoria Ford Mustang coupe |
| 1990 | Ford Crown Victoria Ford Mustang coupe |
| 1989 | Chevrolet Caprice Ford Mustang coupe |
| 1988 | Ford Mustang coupe Dodge Diplomat sedan |
| 1987 | Chevrolet Caprice Ford Mustang coupe |
| 1986 | Dodge Diplomat sedan Ford Mustang coupe |
| 1985 | Dodge Diplomat sedan Ford Mustang coupe |
| 1984 | Ford Crown Victoria Chevrolet Celebrity (limited use) Ford Mustang coupe |
| 1983 | Dodge Diplomat sedan Ford Mustang coupe |
| 1982 | Chevrolet Impala Ford Mustang coupe |
| 1981 | Dodge Diplomat sedan |
| 1980 | Dodge St. Regis sedan |
| 1979 | Dodge St. Regis sedan |
| 1978 | Dodge Monaco sedan |
| 1977 | Dodge Monaco sedan |
| 1976 | Dodge Coronet sedan |
| 1975 | Dodge Monaco sedan |
| 1974 | Dodge Monaco sedan |
| 1973 | Dodge Polara sedan |
| 1972 | Dodge Polara sedan |
| 1971 | Dodge Polara sedan |
| 1970 | Mercury Monterey sedan |
| 1969 | Dodge Polara sedan |
| 1968 | Dodge Polara sedan |
| 1967 | Oldsmobile Delmont 88 sedan |
| 1966 | Dodge Polara sedan |
| 1965 | Dodge Polara sedan |
| 1964 | Dodge 880 sedan |
| 1963 | Dodge 880 sedan |
| 1962 | Chrysler Enforcer sedan |
| 1961 | Dodge Polara sedan |
| 1960 | Dodge Polara sedan |
| 1959 | Dodge Coronet coupe |
| 1958 | Dodge Coronet coupe Mercury Turnpike Cruiser |
| 1957 | Pontiac Chieftain coupe Dodge Coronet coupe Mercury Turnpike Cruiser |
| 1956 | Pontiac Chieftain coupe Oldsmobile coupe Dodge Coronet coupe |
| 1955 | Buick Century |
| 1954 | (unknown) |
| 1953 | (unknown) |
| 1952 | Ford sedan |
| 1951 | (unknown) |
| 1950 | (unknown) |
| 1949 | Oldsmobile Rocket 88 |
| 1948 | DeSoto coupe |
| 1947 | Ford sedan Mercury Sedan Plymouth Sedan |
| 1946 | Buick sedan |
| 1945 | (unknown) |
| 1944 | (unknown) |
| 1943 | (unknown) |
| 1942 | Chrysler sedan |
| 1941 | Oldsmobile coupe |
| 1940 | (unknown) |
| 1939 | (unknown) |
| 1938 | Chrysler Imperial |
| 1937 | Desoto coupe Buick coupe |
| 1936 | Buick coupe Mercury sedan |
| 1935 | (unknown) |
| 1934 | Chrysler Airflow |
| 1933 | Graham coupe |
| 1932 | Ford coupe |
| 1931 | Dodge coupe |
| 1930 | Ford Model A coupe |
| 1929 | Hudson coupe |
Some CHP Vehicles (Click to Enlarge):
(Chevy Tahoe PPV)
(Dodge Charger)
(Ford Explorer Police Interceptor Utility)
(Ford Crown Victoria)
(Chevrolet Caprice 9C1)
(Ford Crown Victoria)
(Chevrolet Camaro)
(Ford SSP Mustang)
(Chevy Caprice)
(Dodge Diplomat)
(Dodge St. Regis)
(Dodge Coronet)
(Dodge Monaco)
(Dodge Polara)
(Oldsmobile Delmont 88 )