El Protector

From 2000 to 2002, I was assigned to the Mendota Fire Station. During P.T. one day, I ran by the CHP doing farm labor van inspections at a local park. It was a cold and windy day. Back then and even today, I am a firm believer in prevention programs. Seeing that these CHP Officers were doing inspections out in the elements, I talked to my boss and got the authorization to offer the fire station as a place to do farm labor vehicle inspections. The CHP Sargent I spoke to accepted the offer and from then on, the officers could do their inspections out of the elements and had access to restrooms and office space. One day, a vehicle came in that so out of compliance, they came into the office and asked me to come look at the vehicle. I was shocked to see a old beat up van with just wood benches for seats, rope for seatbelts and a long list of other problems. That vehicle left the station on a tow truck. I firmly believe that hosting the CHP sent a message to the community that the CHP and CAL FIRE were committed to their safety.

I’m so proud and honored to have been a part of something so much bigger than myself. ~ 12853 🇺🇸

I am proud to have served as El Protector for Santa Cruz County in the early 90's. I still have people I haven't seen in many years call me El Protector.

I have always believed that the CHP is truly a caring and honorable organization with the best intentions for the motoring public of California. The program El Protector is a prime example of this. Thanks to all of the officers who cared enough to create and implement this life saving organization. Well done.

What a great program by the CHP!! Thank you Jorge and Chief Anderson for getting this program going and keeping it going. You have saved countless lives!

Thank you for your service

Whit all do respect greetings to the great SGT ,sincerely Jose Silva from San Diego CA SVP CHP 645 thanks.

Glad the program was able to save lives. Maybe they should bring the program back as DUI/Careless Driving is going back up in those areas.

These videos are awesome. Keep bridging the gap with our communities with these videos. God bless you CHP officers and personnel.

gracias por su servicio y su manera de pensar en la comunidad hispano hablante

Thank you so much for making this video. This brought back such cherished memories of my childhood in the late 80s and early 90s growing up in the valley. There were CHP officers and other LEOs that made a difference in my young and sometimes troubled life and I owe a debt of gratitude to them. While my parents worked hard in the fields near Modesto, at school this program made such an impact on me that by age 11, I was dead set on wanting to be a CHP officer. That didn't happen but my deep respect and admiration for CHP officers never went away. In fact I was so enamored with everything CHP that I knew my first car would be a CHP 5.0 Mustang. A very vivid article from Popular Mechanics back then about a ride-along with the CHP on a Mustang sealed the deal for me and I was 18 when I purchased my very first (used and abused) ex-CHP Mustang. A few months later I remember an encounter with a CHP officer on 99 north in Turlock. He pulled me over in my Mustang because I was speeding. I remember I was dressed in a shirt and tie and was headed to pick up a friend at Dublin BART. When he pulled me over in his Crown Vic he wasn't happy. According to him I had been speeding 20 over the limit for many miles. When he asked for my license and registration and insurance I froze. I had no proof of insurance, my registration had expired, and my license was suspended. My sister had given me a renewal sticker from her car and I put it on there so it wouldn't look like my plates were expired. I remember after being quiet for a few moments I made the decision to tell him the truth: my license was suspended, I had no current insurance, and I had put on an improper plate sticker. I think the officer looked at me like if I was his kid, in trouble but cornered and spilling the truth. He gave me a stern lecture and told me he would let me go this time to drive straight home and park the car. But first, he asked me to step away a few feet while he took his blade out and scraped off the improper sticker on the plate. I feared the worst before that moment and things could've been so much worse had this happened today but looking back decades later I'm very thankful for that officer and the incredible second chance I was given. I will never forget that and I hope he knows that kid learned from that second chance, stayed out of trouble, and became a productive member of California society.

strong work officers....well done.....

Absolutely awesome video. Love this history and life saving focus.

What a great programme. Thank you CHP. 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

Wonderful message. Great community awareness and protection. Thank you

AMEN 🌬 💨 🕊 🙏

there is a rank system for take specific car in CHP ?

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