Comments on: Enough With The Anti-CHP Rhetoric

By: Jim McClain

Jim McClain — Sun, 07 Aug 2011 19:00:10 +0000

This has not been my experience, Ed. I’m not saying it has never happened, or that it won’t happen, but I believe it is a rare occurrence. When a driver is .08 or more, they SHOULD go to jail. I would rather die from my lung disease than from someone who doesn’t know when not to drive.

Thanks for commenting on this article.

By: ed ferguson

ed ferguson — Sun, 07 Aug 2011 16:54:52 +0000

Plumas CHP officers are parking outside restaurants and bars at night and stopping anyone who drives away. No probable cause, if you walk out of a restaurant or a bar you’re it..
If you’ve had a drink you’re most likely going to jail. It didn’t used to be like this. What are the CHP planning to do when all our restaurants and bars are gone? Nothing much has happened to these officers for violating the 4th amendment on a daily bases. I don’t understand how they’re getting away with this.

By: Jim McClain

Jim McClain — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 04:40:10 +0000

Thanks for your comments, SML. I’m not so sure the officer was wrong about having jurisdiction though. I was forced to call the CHP last year regarding a persistent problem with a person blocking access to safe passage around a street corner to anyone using a mobility aide. It wasn’t a concrete sidewalk, but it was a common path. I felt it especially dangerous because the corner was blind because of trees and a telephone pole. In order to make the corner on a mobility device, I had to maneuver into oncoming traffic.

When the officer arrived, he said the vehicle did not break any traffic ordinances, but he could speak with them. This was not the highway, it was a residential area in Quincy. He does in fact have jurisdiction and I think they may also have jurisdiction on other county roads. To be sure, of course, a call could be made to the local CHP office in Quincy to ask for a definitive answer.

I am not defending the officer you speak of. Whether or not the Highway Patrol officer had jurisdiction, his business with the traffic controller should have been handled professionally. There’s no way to know the whole story here because it involves 2 people who have not been heard in this regard. I believe the best course of action for anyone experiencing a problem with any law enforcement officer is to speak with that officer’s supervisor – and continue up the chain of command until someone is found that can help resolve the issue best.

Thanks again for your comments.

By: concerned citizen

concerned citizen — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 01:13:03 +0000

i have to say you are partaily correct. There are some great CHPS in Plumas however there is a particular cocky and self imposed bully that cruises the canyon. I recently heard of a young chp harrasing a traffic control person on Rush Creek. The person was doing there job as contractually required the bully cop skidded to the person and treated them like a criminal. In fact he the told the person they had jurisdiction on a county road. It was utter harassement. This crew cutted sunglass wearing rookie needs to take his cocky attitude back to the valley where he belongs. The police are public servants and need to treat citizens performing there job which was contractually required and permited by the government in a polite and civil manner. This officer has given another black eye to the agency.