​The California Highway Patrol’s South Lake Tahoe Area is staffed with one lieutenant commander, three sergeants, twenty officers, two civilian clerical staff, one civilian automotive technician and one civilian part-time maintenance worker.  The CHP South Lake Tahoe Area has primary responsibiliy for traffic enforcement and the investigation of traffic related incidents on one United States Highway, three California State Routes, and all of eastern unincorporated El Dorado and Alpine County.

While the CHP South Lake Tahoe Area is home to approximately 20,000 full-time residents, the population with weekend and holiday tourism can increase to over 100,000 people.  South Lake Tahoe (Elev. 6,223’) is a unique geographical area.  Lake Tahoe is the second
largest and the deepest alpine lake in the world.  At 22 miles long, 12 miles wide and a depth of 1,645’, Lake Tahoe holds enough water to cover the State of California in 14” of water.  Lake Tahoe’s weather is unpredictable as snow has fallen in every month of the year with temperatures ranging from -28° in the winter to 99° in the summer. Average rainfall is minimal while annual snowfall ranges from 125 inches to 500 inches.  The main economy base of South Lake Tahoe is tourism.