For immediate release
Sept. 14, 2005
Contact: Anita Yoder, 530-889-4012, or
Mike Fitch, 530-886-4515

CHP TO RESUME HAVING ONE OFFICER RESPONSIBLE FOR FORESTHILL, COUNTY SUPERVISOR KRANZ THANKS STATE AGENCY FOR ITS DECISION

Starting Jan. 1, the California Highway Patrol plans to once again assign one officer to be responsible for patrolling county roads in the Foresthill area.
CHP Assistant Commissioner Arthur Anderson announced the decision in a recent letter to Placer County Supervisor Bruce Kranz. At an earlier meeting with Anderson, Kranz had asked the CHP to consider assigning an officer to Foresthill.
“As a result of your request, we have determined that an officer within this community would be a benefit for the department and the community,” Anderson told Kranz in the letter.
“On behalf of the Foresthill community, I’d like to thank the CHP for recognizing our traffic and speeding problems on the Foresthill Divide,” Supervisor Kranz said. “The CHP continues to be a great partner in solving our traffic problems countywide.”
Capt. Rick Ward, the CHP’s commander in the Newcastle area, said he had to suspend the practice of having one officer responsible for Foresthill early this year because of staffing constraints resulting from the state budget crisis.
Now, CHP officers share patrol duties in the Foresthill area.
Ward said having one officer responsible for Foresthill has been effective in the past, crediting it with reducing the number of traffic accidents and increasing compliance with traffic laws.
Ward currently has 34 officers to patrol approximately 1,100 miles of highways and county roads 24 hours per day, seven days per week. He commands an area that stretches from Colfax to the Placer-Sacramento county line.
The Newcastle area would need seven additional officers to be at full strength. Ward will get two new officers soon, and one will be assigned to Foresthill.
The latter won’t assume full-time responsibility for Foresthill until Jan. 1.
Ward said he plans to have the new officer take over his new duties in phases, saying the officer will start attending meeting of the Foresthill Forum later this year. The Foresthill Forum is a seven-member body that advises the county Board of Supervisors on issues related to Foresthill.
Ward credits Kranz with keeping the need to have one CHP officer responsible for patrolling the community on everyone’s minds.
“Bruce saw that was a major concern for the Foresthill residents,” Ward said.
“I’m very thankful for Bruce’s support.”