How to car numbers system work in California Highway Patrol ?

As in how the radio callsigns work?

 

The simplest answer is Area+Beat

 

Example, units assigned to I-5 out of the Newhall office would be 78-501, 78-502, etc.

Hello fellow officers,

 

I've been researching in the same direction for some time and came across this video on Youtube.

It shows a California HIghway Patrol unit conducting a traffic break on the Pomona Freeway 60 in westbound direction, approximately between South Nogales Street and Fullerton Road.

 

The transcript of the video provides in the very beginning the unit's callsign, 83-31M.

 

With help of additional documents and information, I was only able to decode the callsign as following:

83 - subdivision number of Santa Fe Springs ¹ (located in the Southern Division Los Angeles 501 ^1,2)

M - Traffic Enforcement Motorcycle Unit³

31 - I assume, this is a consecutive assigned unit number, as stated in the LAPD Line Procedures manual ³.

 

 

If you can provide further information, please do not hesitate to comment below.

Thank you.

 

 

¹ https://wiki.radioreference.com/images/9/9b/CHP_Offices_and_Frequencies_003.pdf

² https://www.chp.ca.gov/chp-careers/officer/why-become-a-chp-officer/chp-map

³ https://lapdonlinestrgeacc.blob.core.usgovcloudapi.net/lapdonlinemedia/2023/01/VOLUME-4-word-1.pdf

 

CHP Motor officer assigned to area 83, Beat 83, Unit 1