California Highway Patrol Employee Reviews for Public Safety Officer

What is the best part of working at the company?The people, the opportunities, the feeling of helping others when they most need it, very rewarding.What is the most stressful part about working at the company?The nature of the calls and situations you deal with, loss of life.What is the work environment and culture like at the company?Very structured, family orientated with an emphasis in excellency.

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Wonderful organization, great opportunities

Public Safety Dispatcher (Current Employee) - Sacramento, CA - January 9, 2023

Can work anywhere in the state. Great training, benefits, retirement and career opportunities. So many different types of jobs available as long as you don't mind relocating or working around Sacramento.

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Jobs at California Highway Patrol

Public Safety Officer positions

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PUBLIC SAFETY DISPATCHER, CALIFORNIA HIGHWAY PATROL

San Luis Obispo County, CA

11 hours ago

PUBLIC SAFETY DISPATCHER, CALIFORNIA HIGHWAY PATROL

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PUBLIC SAFETY DISPATCHER, CALIFORNIA HIGHWAY PATROL

Sacramento County, CA

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PUBLIC SAFETY DISPATCHER, CALIFORNIA HIGHWAY PATROL

Solano County, CA

8 days ago

A little hectic but a good place to work

Public Safety Dispatcher (Former Employee) - Vallejo, CA - February 21, 2022

I started in dispatch which is not imo a job for anyone with younger kids due to the hours, schedule changes and mandatory overtime. It's also not good for people who don't perform well under pressure. But all in all, it's a great place to work

Pros

Stable, pay, exciting

Cons

Shift work, management isn't always helpful. Cliques

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Very high levels of stress

Public Safety Dispatcher (Former Employee) - Fresno, CA - January 11, 2022

excellent management team however the training academy did not prepare me well enough for live call training at my center. This job was not for me and I ended up resigning.

Pros

State job with many employee resources and lots of overtime

Cons

High stress and can cause anxiety

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Professional workplaced with great management

Officer / Public Safety Dispatcher (Former Employee) - Los Angeles, CA - December 5, 2021

Worked as an officer and public safety dispatcher..most personnel were very polite and professional..lots of overtime available..very good people to work with....overall was a great place to work...only downfall was southern california traffic..senior officers and upper echelon staff were great and personable...easy to work with and very supportive ....

Pros

Overtime available

Cons

Minor issues of favoritism

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California Highway Patrol insights

Based on 58 survey responses

What people like

Inclusive work environment
Ability to learn new things
Clear sense of purpose

The job is a secure one once you have mastered the requirements. The bad is there is lots of mandatory overtime.

Public Safety Dispatcher (Former Employee) - Vallejo, CA - March 28, 2021

Training is minimal prior to being released to work on your own. The job is a good job once you have earned it. You never run out of work. Lots of overtime.

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Non uniform side IS AWFUL

Public Safety Dispatcher (Former Employee) - Benicia, CA - October 28, 2019

Don't go into non-uniform. Dispatcher training is dismal and they push people through faster and faster; why do you think there is high turn over!? Because you do not train people well enough in that amount of time. Unsupportive culture. Bullying. Biased trainers. If you are not "bleeding blue" then what are you doing there? type attitude. Apparently they don't care if you wanted to change career. LAZY OFFICE ENVIRONMENTS. If you are at an area office, good luck to you. Terrible staff and management. They run things like it was 20 years ago. Uneducated on updated policy.

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Well deserving, fast paced, state job

Public Safety Dispatcher (Former Employee) - Vallejo, CA - July 18, 2019

Typical days are 12 hours shifts, short staffing gives ability to work overtime. CHP allowed me to join multiple programs to help me in a public safety proffession.

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Public Safety Dispatcher II

Public Safety Dispatcher (Former Employee) - Fontana, CA - May 27, 2019

This is a fast pace, streessful and demanding position. Training is paid and adequate for the position. There are rewarding moments and times the stress/loss is just too much to bear. Learn to process the stress in your own life or you will burn out. The work day is constant workload with 2 twenty minute breaks and a 30 min lunch. Shifts are selected by seniority first and it is 24/7/365. Expect to work nights, weekends and all holidays. You will miss family celebrations but reward can be pretty great when you talk someone off a bridge thats readynto jump or you stay on the phone with someone just involved in a major traffic collision until help arrives. It was the best 15 years of my life (work wise).

Pros

Highly efficient coworkers (most type -A) personalities. Self-satisfaction in work well done.

Cons

Missing family cebrations. Working tragic and stressful situations/incidents.

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Over all a good job which I enjoyed and found challenging.

Public Safety Dispatcher (Former Employee) - Yreka, CA - August 30, 2018

Work load varied with hours and areas worked. Management and culture also varied, I worked at a variety of supervisors and co-workers. I enjoyed the challenge of dealing with both officers and public but it could get stressful.

Pros

Good benefits, able to transfer state wide

Cons

Can be stressful, shift and holiday work.

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Public Safety Dispatcher (Former Employee) - Susanville, CA - August 19, 2018

I enjoyed my job- it could be stressful or satisfying. Everyday was different. The job is not for everyone. It is a family. I would consider another position with the California Hwy Patrol

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good

Public Safety Dispatcher (Current Employee) - Los Angeles, CA - July 11, 2018

your career with the highway patrol is a great one to have. Its a secure job, and great to help the public. If you dont mind regular hours this would be a great job for you.

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Demanding work place

Public Safety Dispatcher (Current Employee) - Los Angeles, CA - March 19, 2018

I learned a lot about law enforcement agencies while working here. If you want to be able to spend time with family especially on holidays than this is not the job for you. There's a lot of politics, unfairness here and it affects the workplace morale.

Pros

Decent compensation

Cons

Its hard to get days off, a lot of bad attitudes and sarcasm takes place from co workers and supervisors.

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Chp

911 Public Safety Dispatcher (Former Employee) - Vallejo, CA - January 8, 2018

A great place to work if you want to experience a job with various opportunities to advance and travel by transferring. The CHP is great about sending employees to training much needed training or initial training for a position. The department will also grant request for some outside training if you can provide the relevance to your job and how your training will benefit the department.

Pros

Pay, ability to transfer anywhere in the state

Cons

advancement slow for civilian employees

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Safety Dispatcher

Public Safety Dispatcher (Current Employee) - Vallejo, CA - January 7, 2018

When they say this job isn’t for everyone they aren’t kidding. It’s a very stressful yet rewarding career. To have a career such as this, one needs to be very type A and strong minded.

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If your looking for a gratifying job this is it!!!

Public Safety Dispatcher (Former Employee) - San Diego, CA - July 31, 2017

Typical day starts off with a briefing of work assignments and scheduled breaks/lunch. I learned that the faster you type the easier your job is. Management was dedicated to the job getting done and ensuring the staff have what is needed. This is a fast paced thinking on the fly and getting things done. The hardest part was initially understanding the field units on the radio. But after awhile you pick up on it. The most enjoyable part is knowing you made a difference in someones life that day and gave it your all.

Pros

Good pay and room to advance. Easily transfer to any Call Center in the state.

Cons

You work more than the 14-16 days scheduled per month, It is highly stressful yet gratifying, Easy to lose track of time and days.

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Internationally renowned LEA

Public Safety Dispatcher (Former Employee) - Fontana, CA - May 29, 2017

great job, great benefits, computer systems outdated, high stress multi-tasking required. vacation accrual is guaranteed, but holidays are not always guaranteed off. 24 hour dispatch center that handles 911 phone calls made from cell phones in parts of San bernardino and Riverside counties

Pros

job security, helping others

Cons

high pressure multi-tasking

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Great job. Great pay

Public Safety Dispatcher (Former Employee) - Rancho Cordova, CA - May 12, 2016

I loved, loved, loved this job. I was able to help so many people. Great job satisfaction, knowing I may have saved someones life, by providing them the help they needed in the time of crisis in the their life. Also, great job satisfaction knowing I got an officer home safely that shift, so that they could go home to their families.

Pros

Pay and job satisfaction

Cons

Can be very stressful.

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The nature of the Job is rewarding

Public Safety Dispatcher (Current Employee) - Fontana, CA - July 24, 2015

Long shifts, Working for the state is not what you may expect, In this profession a hardness does develop over time, The hardest part of this job is listening to some very very violent and distressful situations it will takes its tole on you.

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