On September 30, UHCA’s President David Barnes, along with Deborah Mattos and Dan Vetter of Mattos & Associates, met with CHP Commissioner Dwight “Spike” Helmick in the Commissioner’s Office in Sacramento. Also attending the meeting with the Commissioner, was Commander Stan Perez and Sgt. Joe Balzarini from the Commissioner’s Legislative Office. The following are excerpts from the interview.

UHCA: AB 1683 has brought an awareness of the Cargo Theft Interdiction Program (CTIP) that never existed until 1994. Our members have a number of questions about this program...many have asked to see statistics documenting the progress and success of CTIP (See explanation of CTIP on page 10 of Highway Vol 33-3).

Commissioner Helmick: CTIP has been a monumental task, but has also proven to be an extremely effective program. Since the program’s inception, we have recovered over $14.6 million worth of stolen property at a cost of $1.4 million. You have raised a good point though, we definitely need to publicize the CTIP.

UHCA: A comprehensive trend analysis of the type of vehicles being stolen, the location of the thefts, and the commodities stolen could provide a great deal of useful information for our membership. It would be very helpful to know if there is a high rate of tractor theft in San Joaquin County, for instance. We happen to know that there are current problems with unhooked trailer theft in the Lodi area.

Commissioner Helmick: Before CTIP, there was no documentation whatsoever of cargo theft. We had not seen a pure cargo theft problem or a pure vehicle theft problem, it had been intermingled and interchanged with other general thefts. Before CTIP, cargo was listed as a vehicle theft or commodity, not broken down as it is now. The key has been to distinguish between truck, trailer, vehicle, cargo, and commodity theft. Now a standard is set and you will get some kind of overall view of what’s actually going on.

UHCA: Switching the subject on you....how can we expedite access to the MISTER reports for carriers? There seems to be a month long delay, attaining these reports has been an arduous task.

Commissioner Helmick: Good question. We will check into that and have an answer for you very soon.

UHCA: We understand one of the primary thrusts within your administration is to better educate your officers and the public. Can you explain your philosophy?

Commissioner Helmick: In an area of immediate interest to your members, we have been trying to completely revise the BIT program (Biennial Inspection of Terminals). When the BIT program began in 1952, motor carrier specialists were acting as our enforcement arm. We will have trained specialists available to explain compliance standards. Just ask for help, we can assemble the equipment and instructional tools, we can even send officers out to your company to perform demonstrations. My philosophy is that it doesn’t make sense to have a punitive, or ‘gotcha!’ program, that neglects road safety and education. Our department is working with the Judicial Counsel to allow commercial drivers to attend traffic school for citations. Commercial drivers have never had this option before. They were never allowed to attend traffic school, meaning the citation has always gone onto their record.

UHCA: How long would it take to arrange one of these demonstrations?

Commissioner Helmick: We are prepared to do this for companies immediately. The purpose of these demonstrations is to show what we are looking for in safety inspections, educating members of the industry rather than punishing. We teach people what exactly we’re looking for, or what we’re stopping people and ticketing them for. After all, most trucks cited are not cited while moving, but rather at the scale facilities. Attendants of these demonstrations volunteer to have their vehicles inspected with the understanding that the CHP will not issue citations during these instances. Of course, we won’t let you drive away if we find that your vehicle is unsafe! Have your members call into our office so that they can get the full story. Additionally, we would be willing to participate in an ongoing question and answer column in your newsletter entitled “Ask the CHP”.

UHCA: We’ve always felt that scale facilities are somewhat of a blessing in disguise...they are helpful in the sense that truckers can receive a free mechanical inspection. We’ve run articles in past newsletters informing drivers that even if the light at scales is green, you can still stop at the scale in order to have your diesel truck inspected. But what about the entire BIT program? Do you intend to reform the BIT as Commissioner of the CHP?

Commissioner Helmick: I’ll tell you where I think the BIT needs to be improved...there are a lot of good, exemplary trucking companies, and then there are the problem carriers...we know because the MISTER database tells us. We should reward the positive companies. We have begun this process through administrative changes by allowing trucking companies to bypass their third BIT inspection after three prior satisfactory inspections.

UHCA: We have received calls from owner-operators who were amazed that the CHP had reached out to their business through the BIT program. It seems the CHP is reaching its original goal of inspecting every registered trucking company.

Commissioner Helmick: Granted, we are pleased with the thoroughness of the program. There is a tradeoff, though...since inception of the program we have only been through three BIT cycles. The new school of thought shifts focus from the entire pool of registered truckers instead to the problem truckers (approximately 10%). As you may know, the CHP is the only statewide law enforcement agency. At the same time, we have less officers today than when I started in 1969. As a consequence, we have to be able to maximize and distribute our resources in the most effective manner possible.

UHCA: We would like to see the Motor Carrier Advisory Committee, of which we have participated, become more active. It was an opportunity to get together, roll up our sleeves, exchange information, and come up with some really good ideas without political ramifications. Commissioner Helmick: Yes, I agree. Relative to the advisory committee, I would like to see it revived to discuss and attempt to resolve many of the issues affecting your industry.

COMMISSIONER D.O. (SPIKE) HELMICK

California Highway Patrol Commissioner Dwight “Spike” Helmick was appointed as the chief executive officer of the California Highway Patrol (CHP) on November 1, 1995. He commands 6,800 uniformed officers and 3,200 nonuniformed personnel. He was appointed to the Highway Patrol November 17, 1969. Commissioner Helmick served as the Deputy Commissioner from 1989 until his recent appointment as Commissioner. Prior to his appointment asDeputy Commissioner, he served as Chief of the CHP’s Coastal Division, which stretches from Santa Cruz to Ventura and encompasses 10 area offices. Before his appointment to Chief, he was the Assistant Chief of that Division, from December 1986 through February 1989. He worked in the Office of Special Representative to the Legislature from 1975 through 1986, promoting through the ranks and becoming Commander of that office in 1981. He also served in the Los Angeles area. The Commissioner holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Administration of Justice from the Golden Gate University and is a graduate of the FBI National Executive Institute.

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