SACRAMENTO,
Calif. – California Highway Patrol (CHP) Commissioner Warren Stanley today announced
his appointment of Assistant Commissioner Amanda L. Ray, as Deputy Commissioner.
The
appointment makes Deputy Commissioner Ray the first African American woman in
the Department’s 91-year history to hold the position of second-in-command of
the nation’s largest state police agency.
Governor
Gavin Newsom, who last year reappointed Commissioner Stanley to his post,
applauded today’s announcement. “The CHP is one of the most respected law
enforcement agencies in California, if not the nation. As we mark Black History
Month and Women’s History Month in March, I couldn’t be prouder of Deputy
Commissioner Ray’s accomplishments and contributions to making the CHP the best
of the best. Californians have every reason to be confident in the leadership
of the CHP.”
Deputy
Commissioner Ray stated she was “honored and humbled” to be appointed to her
new post. “I am grateful to continue to serve alongside the amazing women and
men who are dedicated each day to providing the highest level of Safety,
Service, and Security to the people of California. I look forward to continue to make the Department
one that our employees and the people of this great state can admire and be
proud of.”
A native
of Oakland, Deputy Commissioner Ray, 53, is a 30-year member of the Department,
rising through the ranks and serving in assignments of increasing responsibility
from cadet to Assistant Commissioner, Staff, where she oversaw the
administrative functions of the Department, to include a $2.8 billion budget,
departmental training, information technology, and personnel administration of
a statewide organization of 11,000 women and men. In her new role, Deputy Commissioner Ray will
oversee the day-to-day operations, the administrative and field operations of
the CHP as well as the Offices of Legal Affairs, Internal Affairs, Equal Employment
Opportunity, Risk Management, the Office of Accreditation, and Community Outreach
and Media Relations.
Deputy Commissioner Ray replaces Scott
Silsbee, who retired from the CHP in December.
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