CHP MEMORIES

The topic of my career as a California Highway Patrolman in this blog, has been something that I've been thinking about for awhile now. I don't intend to do a detailed, chronological map of my years in uniform, conversely, there are some highlights that I would like to share, especially with my wife, children, and my grand child. A lot of what I wish to document, has never been discussed, and some has. The point of opening a small window into the years that I spent wearing a badge, is to give an insight, and some perspective to my personal experiences as a law enforcement officer.

This first installment will be from the beginning, with a little information as to how and why I chose to pursue employment with the California Highway Patrol (CHP). Prior to being drafted into the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War, I worked for my Step Grandfather Dewey, at his Shell Gas Station in Watsonville, CA. Dewey and my Grandmother AnnaGay raised me after my parents were killed in an automobile accident when I was 6 weeks old. At the time I entered military service, there was a very loose agreement, that when I was discharged, I would eventually have the opportunity to take over the Shell Station, and at the time, that was my only career choice. However, when I returned home, I discovered that my Uncle Frank, and a partner had purchased the ownership interest in the gas station, and as a result, that door was effectively closed for me. At about the same time, Dewey mentioned to me that he had seen a TV commercial, advertising that the CHP was hiring Officers. In mid to late 1968, the CHP was in the process of doubling the size of the patrol, and after a little thought, I applied. I had never given any thought to a possible career in law enforcement, but as the months went forward, I began to embrace the possibility of becoming a CHP Officer. The concept of potentially working in traffic accident prevention started to become very personal, as one who had lost his parents in a traffic collision. While the lengthy process of the application went forward, I went back to work at the gas station, supporting a wife, and first child (Michael), who was 9 months old when I returned from the Army. In late 1968, I passed the written examination, drove to San Francisco for an oral exam, and waited for the results. In early 1969, I received notification that the process was continuing, and my background was being investigated. When that was completed, I received word that I had been accepted, and my reporting date to the CHP Academy was March 24th, 1969.

Just prior to entering the academy, we were living in a rented house in Watsonville, CA. My first wife Pam, and my son Michael moved back to Bass Lake, CA. with her parents, remaining there, until I graduated from the academy in July of 1969. My time at the academy was similar to military boot camp, in that the we were restricted to the campus for 5 1/2 days a week, and there were 4 of us assigned to a dorm room. Even though the academic challenges were extremely difficult for many of my fellow cadets, I had little difficulty meeting the requirements, and upon graduation, fell into the top 10% of my class. One of my room mates ended up being the class valedictorian. The hardest part of living in Sacramento was the separation from my family, with only a few reunitements during the 4 months of training. Toward the end, we received our assignments, and mine was the Baldwin Park Office, in the Los Angeles area. The process for initial cadet placement, is strictly by seniority, and even within a cadet class, there is seniority based on badge numbers. I remember thinking that I had never lived in a big city, how in the world was I ever going to adjust to working on some of the busiest freeways in the world.

That's where I'll stop for now, and as time permits, and my motivation level rises, I'll share some of the high and low points, during 20 years as a CHP Officer.