SACRAMENTO,
Calif. – Governor Gavin Newsom today administered the oath of office to
California Highway Patrol (CHP) Commissioner Amanda Ray, a historic move making
her the first woman in its 91-year history to lead the largest state law enforcement agency
in the nation.
Newsom
appointed Ray as the 16th Commissioner on
October 20, 2020, following the retirement announcement of Commissioner Warren
Stanley after 38 years of service with the CHP.
“I
am thankful to Governor Newsom for trusting me to lead this exceptional
organization and honored to follow in the footsteps of many innovative leaders
who have come before me, including my friend, Warren Stanley,” Ray said. “I would not be where I am today without the
foresight of those in 1974 who decided to give women the opportunity to become
CHP officers, paving the way for many women to assume leadership roles in the
Department. I look forward to further guiding
the Department and its 11,000 women and men in engaging with the communities we
serve to ensure California remains a safe place to live, work, and visit.”
Ray
began her career with the CHP in 1990, rising through the ranks to her
appointment as Deputy Commissioner in February 2020. She has served as incident commander during
several high-profile events, including the Department’s response to COVID-19,
civil unrest, and wildfires.
Ray
has appointed two members to her Executive Management team. They are Jim Epperson as Deputy Commissioner,
her second-in-command responsible for the day-to-day operations of the Department,
and Ryan Okashima as Assistant Commissioner, Staff, who will oversee the
administrative functions of the Department, including a $2.8 billion budget,
departmental training, information technology, and personnel administration. Rich Stewart was previously promoted in August
2020 to the position of Assistant Commissioner, Field, responsible for all
patrol and air operations throughout the state as well as protective services.
The
mission of the CHP is to provide the highest level of Safety, Service, and
Security.
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