Updated data released from the California Highway Patrol shows more people are applying to join the nation’s largest public-facing state law enforcement agency.

In the last four months, the CHP has received 7,615 applications, an increase from 2023 and 2022 which saw 5,803 applications and 3,732, respectively, in the same period.

“The officers of the California Highway Patrol are the best of the best, committing daily to public service and public safety,” said Gov. Gavin Newsom. “I encourage more Californians to answer the call to serve their neighborhoods and continue helping build community-oriented bridges across California.”

“Recruitment for the CHP is more than just filling vacant positions; it’s about finding individuals who embody our professional values and are passionate about a career dedicated to serving the public,” said CHP Commissioner Sean Duryee. “The surge in interest reflects not only a desire to serve, but also a recognition of the noble calling of policing.”

You can be one of the new CHP officers ready to make a difference. Apply and register for an upcoming hiring seminar here.

Marking progress to fulfill the administration’s multi-year campaign to recruit 1,000 new CHP officers from the state’s diverse communities, more than 300 cadets have been sworn in as officers this year.

To accommodate the interest, the CHP is holding multiple Academy classes simultaneously for the first time in the department’s history, with three more classes completing training this year.

The next CHP Academy graduation is scheduled for July 12.

The CHP is the largest public-facing state law enforcement agency in the United States with over 6,500 sworn officers assigned across California.

Following the launch of the CHP 1000 recruitment campaign and other recent recruitment efforts and hiring investments — including a new recruitment web series “Cadets” — CHP reports that there have been an average of about 1,900 applicants a month since the start of the year.

California has invested expanded resources and personnel since 2019 to fight crime, help local governments hire more police, and improve public safety.

In 2023, as part of California’s Real Public Safety Plan, the Governor announced the largest-ever investment to combat organized retail crime in state history, an annual 310% increase in proactive operations targeting organized retail crime, and special operations across the state to fight crime and improve public safety.