CHP officer not actively enforcing stay at home order

March 25, 2020

The San Luis Obispo area California Highway Patrol office is attempting to dispel a rumor that CHP officers are carrying out enforcement of the state’s stay-at-home order.

In a statement released Tuesday, the San Luis Obispo area CHP said it is clearing up a rumor that officers are stopping drivers and asking them why they are on the road and then issuing citations to those who do not have a valid reason. That is not true, the SLO area CHP says.

“The governor has not asked law enforcement to enforce the statewide stay-at-home order,” the SLO CHP stated. “In an effort to preserve public health and safety of all Californians, the hope is that people will self-regulate their behavior and home isolate, protect themselves and go about the ‘essential’ activities using social distancing.”

Additionally, the San Luis Obispo CHP says the mission of the California Highway Patrol remains unchanged. CHP officers will still patrol the highways, respond to traffic collisions, provide services to drivers, enforce violations and assist other law enforcement agencies.

But, it has become more challenging for the CHP to carry out portions of its operations because of added responsibilities associated with the coronavirus response, the local highway patrol office says.