Earlier this month, California Governor Gavin Newsom joined the California Highway Patrol (CHP) in celebrating the Department’s final graduating class of the year. The 137 new officers who were sworn in during a ceremony at the CHP Academy will be placed throughout the state to protect and serve communities. This marks a significant achievement for the CHP, which graduated 780 cadets in 2025 alone. The CHP continues its efforts to recruit highly qualified individuals to protect the state’s community safety.
“I’m proud to see the young women and men stepping up to keep our communities safe. As we close out the year, California continues to make real progress — strengthening protections across the state while staying focused on the needs of the people we serve,” said Governor Newsom.
During their 26 weeks in the CHP Academy, cadets trained in vehicle code enforcement, crash and criminal investigations, emergency vehicle operations, and officer safety. The Academy’s curriculum also focuses on legal responsibilities, communication, ethics, and cultural awareness in order to prepare cadets to serve California’s diverse population. The new officers began reporting to one of the CHP’s 102 Area offices across the state on Dec. 15.
“These cadets have been pushed to their limits and faced significant pressure, but despite all the hardships, they never gave up. Their determination to keep going, even when facing challenges, demonstrates their dedication to helping others and serving the people of California,” said CHP Commissioner Sean Duryee. “The CHP proudly welcomes these new officers and looks forward to the remarkable achievements they will make throughout their decades of service.”
The CHP’s recruitment initiatives over the past few years — including the launch of the 2022 statewide “Join the CHP 1000” campaign and the “Cadets” web series — continue to drive strong interest in law enforcement careers.
Including the most recent newly sworn members, the CHP has brought on more than 2,300 officers from January 2022 through December 2025.
From 2022 to 2024, applications increased by more than 52 percent. The CHP is on track to receive more than 33,000 applications by the end of the year, continuing the upward trend. In 2022, the department received 16,077 applications, which increased to 19,590 in 2023 and jumped to 25,477 in 2024.
Enhancing public safety remains a top priority for the Governor, and in November 2024, California successfully achieved its multi-year CHP recruitment goal of 1,000 new officers.
To learn more about joining the CHP, visit CHPMadeForMore.com
