A Little Help From The CHP

Written and Researched by: Coleman Black. 6/14/2026

When a city faces a sudden surge in dangerous street takeovers, illegal donut parties, or reckless drag racing, local leaders are often stuck with limited choices.

Smaller municipal police departments simply lack the baseline staff or budget needed to safely break up a massive weekend sideshow or flood a chronic speeding corridor with 24/7 coverage.

Fortunately, California cities have access to an effective solution: the Selective Traffic Enforcement Program (STEP). This specialized initiative allows local municipalities to bring in the heavy reinforcement of the California Highway Patrol (CHP) to target specific, local trouble spots.

Here is a straightforward look at how the program works, step-by-step.

Step 1: Identify the Problem – City officials identify a traffic safety issue, such as street takeovers, illegal speed contests, or a corridor with a history of serious crashes.
Step 2: Request CHP Assistance – The Police Chief or City Manager contacts the local CHP Area Commander to develop a targeted enforcement plan for the problem area.
Step 3: Approve Overtime Funding – The City Council authorizes a Reimbursable Services Contract, providing local funding for dedicated CHP overtime enforcement.
Step 4: Deploy Saturation Patrols – CHP schedules focused enforcement operations, placing additional officers in the affected area during peak violation periods.
Step 5: Impound Offending Vehicles – Officers aggressively enforce state law. Vehicles involved in illegal speed contests or reckless exhibitions are subject to immediate 30-day impound under the California Vehicle Code.

Controlling the Cost: Smart, Targeted Enforcement

A common misconception among local officials is that bringing in the Highway Patrol will bust the city budget. In reality, the program offers operational flexibility and often a savings.

Cities do not have to pay for a permanent, continuous CHP presence. Instead, the Highway Patrol can execute an “on-and-off” deployment strategy. For instance, a city can contract for a high-intensity, two-week blitz, followed by a week off enforcement. The deterrent effect. Local data tells us exactly when the trouble is happening so those times can be targeted. (example: rush hour where reckless drivers run a center median to bypass traffic).

Overcoming the Internal Politics

Sometimes, local police departments or city administrators show reluctance to utilize this program. There is sometimes an underlying worry about optics, or pushback from local police unions who view bringing in an outside agency as a slight against their own capabilities or a loss of work. Residents want the problem solved, period. Local staffing shortages that prevent problem solving have a solution in this program.

Expert Guidance for Cities

Navigating the logistics of state contracts and setting up data-targeted enforcement can be daunting for small municipal staffs. To streamline the setup, many cities turn to specialized California municipal consulting firms to bridge the gap. These firms are particularly adept.

Matrix Consulting Group
https://matrixcg.net/
Specializes in law enforcement operational studies and deployment optimization, can help analyze traffic data to justify the need.

TriChief Consulting Services
https://trichief.com/
A a public safety consulting firm staffed by experienced law enforcement professionals that provides strategic planning, operational assessments, training, and advisory services to police agencies and local governments.

Jacob Green & Associates
https://jacobgreenandassociates.com/
Feature teams of deeply experienced, retired California police chiefs and municipal administrators. Regularly advise cities on navigating regional agreements, community safety strategies, and structuring these joint operations efficiently from day one.

Alternatively, municipal leaders can pick up the phone to call their local CHP area commander, who will gladly provide the necessary operational details to get started.

A Call to Action for Municipal Leaders

While city officials find these law-breaking disruptions troubling, nobody views them with greater urgency than the general public. Residents deserve decisive action, and letting these safety hazards persist means municipal leaders simply aren’t doing their jobs.

These traffic crises are entirely solvable. By adopting a proactive attitude and taking advantage of the resources available through programs like STEP, city leaders can effectively eliminate the problem and restore peace to their neighborhoods.

Real World Example

– The Pasadena City Council approved a long-term partnership with the California Highway Patrol to strengthen public safety by providing supplemental traffic control, crowd management, and law enforcement support for major events and other large gatherings. Read more at the link below.

https://pasadenanow.com/main/city-council-approves-new-chp-contract-for-major-events-and-new-years-activities