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[1CavScout]

Bigger departments offer escape routes from supervisors that you can't stand. On a smaller department, you may be stuck with that person. Also, if you "step on it", a bigger department allows the opportunity to transfer to a place where you can get a fresh start.

They also tend to move on faster if they are not liked. They will go to another substation or assignment.

[BEARCOAT]

Consider what you want to spend the bulk of your time doing when selecting an agency. Busy is good...the hours fly by.
What kind of shifts do they run ? Many 5-8's have been replaced by 4-10's and 3-12's . Time off becomes precious.....+ OT opportunities.
Consider the pay and benefits. Consider the retirement system by age and % of pay in retirement and at what age.
If you are going to make a career out of it, a larger agency will provide more opportunity for specialized assignments...and bonus pay.
Last one and very hard to find....an agency that PAYS medical when you retire ?
When I retired medical ins for the family was $ 250/mo...now $ 1200+/mo.
What a difference that makes !
Choose wisely....lateral to another Dept. is always an option once you have your P.O.S.T. cert & some experience.
Podunk will always be podunk. Counties are larger than cities and the State agencies give you the run of the State.

[FUBAR]

It's ok that you have an antiquated, preconceived interpretation of what the CHP does that was most likely passed to you by a salty FTO that didn't like us. Yes we write tickets, arrest DUIs, keep the roads, highways and freeways safe and moving, and of course the "scary" collisions, but we do a lot more. By that I mean, auto theft, drugs (trafficking and manufacturing/growing), human trafficking, guns, gangs, you name it. We don't just have to stick to the highway, although we are responsible for it. We can go anywhere. I mean look think of how many of us are out there daily and the amount of people we contact daily, we find all kinds of stuff. I've served search warrants, taken down marijuana grow operations, chased armed parolees in 10851's, physically fought people on the side of the road, same stuff you do. We have an excellent association that fights for us everyday, every year so we don't have to suffer job loss or furlough days.

Many don't realize that the CHP in any other state, are known as state troopers. There are many specialized jobs within the CHP like details with the Governor and state legislatures. And about furloughs, they were pretty much immune unlike other state agencies. I know because my agency was hit hard with the furloughs but CHP was not. The pay and benefits is one of the best I have seen. If I could do it all over again, I would apply with the CHP.