A Civilian's Gratitude

[Software Guy]

I want to relate a recent experience with a CHP motor and the CHP in general that left us with even more trust in the CHP and respect for your professionalism.

My tags were out of date and we were on the way to the DMV to correct the problem, when a motor pulled us over.

He bluntly explained he could impound my car. I was scared. But he let us go and followed us to the DMV instead.

When we made the turn onto the DMV road, the motor flipped a U-turn and drove off.

We pulled into the parking lot, paid the fees and fines, put on the tags, and drove off.

Then we saw the same motor pulling into view 100 meters ahead. He waited for us, then pulled behind us to verify we had new tags. Then he sped off.

I thought something he might do something like that. I would have likely done the same. "Trust, but verify."

This was yet another encounter with the CHP that demonstrates your professionalism. Thank you.

[JNguyen]

o.O . . .

[TheTransporter]

I have a story, kind of in the same vein, but a bit different. So, I was heading westbound on SR-74, if anyone has ever been down that road, you know there are places that don't really have a limit and places which do have a limit. I was about a mile or so away from the Riverside Co./Orange Co. border in this little village when I was pulled over by a CHP officer. I knew I messed up from the word go, because I remembered seeing a sign designating this particular stretch of road as a 45 zone. I was at least 10 mph over, judging from the last glimpse I had of the speedo. Me and another driver were pulled over, the officer collected my information first then the information of the other driver and went back to his cruiser to punch in the numbers. Meanwhile, the other driver got out of the car looking very angry, the officer approached him and was calmly asking him to get back in his car. After at least a couple minutes of loud and animated protest, he did, then the officer returned my information and my citation. He informed me that after looking at my records, I'd be eligible for Traffic School. He also gave me information on getting my address changed as I told him I had a different mailing address from the one on my registration, (my mom had just recently switched to a P.O. box).

After all of that, I thanked him for pulling me over, that's right, thanked him. There's been a lot of times where I've wondered, "Where is the CHP when you need them?" upon seeing a speeder on the freeway. This time, it was me, and I was ok with that, because it meant someone had decided to increase enforcement on that stretch of road, and as a driver, I like the roads to be safe for myself and people that I know. The biggest thing though, was how he maintained a very professional demeanor, though he had to deal with the other guy who was incredibly beligerant. I know that's what all LEO's are taught, but we are all human, and he could have easily went the other way. All in all, a real positive encounter with a CHP officer, and like the OP said, another example of the agency's level of professionalism.

[Software Guy]

I've been thinking about why it is that CHP seems so professional to me.

Transporter, I also felt like I wanted to be pulled over. For me, it was the end of being "on the run," of being made to "own up." Frankly, I was tired looking over my shoulder and driving paranoid." So in this sense the officer did me a favor by releasing me from my self-made road purgatory. That's something to be grateful for. Thanks, officer for holding me to account, because I am now a happier person.

To me, the CHP are so professional because they are even-handed enforcers of cause and effect, issuing consequences for breaking the law, almost as if you were a guilty rock pushed over a cliff, with gravity inexorably causing it to fall to the ground. The analogy breaks down when you take into account CHP are respectful to civilians and use common sense, but you get the point.