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CHP union urges retirement incentive to shore up staffing ahead of major events
Summary
Jake Johnson of the California Association of Highway Patrolmen told a Senate budget subcommittee that the CHP faces rapid retirements and overtime strain and urged lawmakers to consider a deferred-retirement option (DROP) to retain experienced officers ahead of large upcoming events.
Jake Johnson, president of the California Association of Highway Patrolmen, told the California Senate Budget Subcommittee No. 5 on Corrections and Public Safety that the California Highway Patrol is facing a wave of retirements and increasing overtime demands that threaten staffing capacity.
"The CHP currently has 1,000 sworn personnel eligible to retire today. An additional 1,000 will become eligible to retire over the next 3 year period," Johnson said, adding that although the CHP hired about 1,000 new officers between February 2022 and February 2025, attrition has matched those gains. He urged a program to retain experienced staff while recruitment catches up, saying a deferred retirement option could be implemented in a cost‑neutral way for the state's pension system.
The proposal Johnson described, commonly called DROP, would let officers and firefighters who are retirement‑eligible extend their careers for a predetermine d period while preserving retirement benefits. Johnson said DROP-type programs have been used at the city and county level and in other states and could be adapted for California. "We must do more to address the staffing deficit. My firm belief is that a DROP program is a key solution to this problem," he said.
Committee members asked about recruitment and fatigue. Senator Scott Sciardo (member of the subcommittee) and other legislators asked whether the state can hire enough recruits and how experienced supervisors are being replaced. Johnson responded that hiring has been substantial but not keeping pace with retirements and that less‑experienced supervisors can affect mentoring and day‑to‑day judgment. He raised concerns about fatigue from repeated overtime and the operational strain of deploying officers to major events such as FIFA, the Super Bowl and the Olympics, and recounted prior large deployments including APEC.
Johnson also urged improved equipment and policies to reduce roadside officer fatalities and described inconsistent lighting on patrol cars and the practice of moving traffic stops off freeways when feasible to reduce risk.
On DROP, Johnson said his association withdrew an assembly bill to continue negotiations with Assembly PERS Committee staff and CalPERS actuaries, seeking language that would be cost neutral to the state's pension system. He expressed willingness to collaborate with the Legislature and CalPERS on a two‑year legislative cycle to refine the proposal.
The hearing was informational; no formal action was taken. Subcommittee members indicated interest in working further with labor representatives and state officials on retention tools and on operational safety measures.
