California Highway Patrol

The California Highway Patrol is a state law enforcement agency of the U.S. state of California. The CHP has primary patrol jurisdiction over all California highways and roads and streets outside city limits, and can exercise law enforcement powers anywhere within the state. California Highway Patrol can assist local and county agencies and can patrol major city streets along with local and county law enforcement, state and interstate highways and are primary law enforcement in rural parts of the state.

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.