| California State Police | |
| Abbreviation | CSP |
| California State Police patch | |
| Agency overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | 1887 |
| Dissolved | 1995 |
| Superseding agency | California Highway Patrol |
| Employees | 271 (1995) |
| Legal personality | Governmental: Government agency |
| Jurisdictional structure | |
| Operations jurisdiction* | State of California, United States of America |
| Map of California State Police's jurisdiction. | |
| Governing body | California State Legislature |
| General nature | |
| Specialist jurisdiction | Buildings and lands occupied or explicitly controlled by the institution and the institution's personnel, and public entering the buildings and precincts of the institution. |
| Operational structure | |
| Headquarters | Sacramento, California |
| Footnotes | |
| * Divisional agency: Division of the country, over which the agency has usual operational jurisdiction. | |
The California State Police was a security police agency founded in 1887 which served to protect the State Capitol Building, the Governor and other state agencies located throughout the state. They provided police services to all state agencies that did not have their own police force. They patrolled the State Water Project (also known as the California Aqueduct) and were the state's unofficial capitol police. They provided dignitary protection for the Governor and other state officials as directed, included the California Supreme Court's main building in San Francisco. They provided investigative services to elected officials through their Threat Assessment Detail and criminal investigations through the Bureau of Investigative Services. They also performed tax seizures for the California Franchise Tax Board. It was merged with the California Highway Patrol in 1995.[1]
Most California residents didn't know of the CSP's existence until the July 1995 merger was announced; the only visible presence was usually at the State Capitol or at all offices of the California Department of Motor Vehicles (there was usually an officer patrolling the parking lots of these offices, or inside their lobbies).
The patrol cars used by the CSP (in the final years of its existence) were mainly Chevrolets or Fords (but were originally an all-Dodge or Plymouth fleet), painted white with three bold lines along the sides (dark green/gold/dark green) with the words "State Police" on the trunk lid.
The official shoulder patch was simple: a green shield w/ gold borders, the words (gold lettering) "CALIFORNIA STATE POLICE" on top, the State Capitol building's dome and the state flag prominently featured;in 1987, there was an additional banner on the bottom proclaiming "100 Years of Service".
At the time of the merger, the CSP was the oldest state law enforcement agency performing "general law enforcement" in the state of California.
Unlike the other 48 states, the title used was always "officer" (like the CHP), never "trooper".
The last Chief of the CSP was long-time Sacramento County Sheriff (1971–1983) Duane Lowe.[2]
The agency traces to 1854 when the state legislature authorized a law enforcement body called the California State Rangers. The Rangers' mission was to capture the notorious gang leader Joaquin Murrieta. Joaquin Murrieta was captured, shot, killed and beheaded by Capt. Harry Love at the Arroyo Cantua. The California State Rangers were then disbanded. On March 15, 1887, the California State Legislature authorized a law enforcement body with Captain Harry Love and one other ranger, as its sole members to protect the State Capitol and grounds. They were paid $100.00 monthly and grew to a force of 12 officers. In 1911 the legislature approved more positions, uniforms, and defined the department giving it the official name of, "California State Capitol Police". Eventually as the department grew and its duties expanded, the word "Capitol" was dropped from the agency's name.
The California State Constitution prohibits a state-wide general law enforcement agency; thus, the California State Police were not a general law enforcement agency. In California, the County Sheriff maintains the Constitutional general law enforcement authority.
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