Yuba City man promoted to CHP captain

Exactly three years to the day after taking command of the California Highway Patrol office in Willows, Lt. Shon L. Harris will be moving to a bigger assignment.

Harris, 44, of Yuba City, has been promoted to captain and will assume command of the CHP's Marin office in Corte Madera on Jan. 1.

Harris has mixed feelings about the transfer, but said the promotion begins a new chapter in his 18-year career with the CHP.

"It's sort of bittersweet, because I've enjoyed my time here," Harris said.

Harris was one of 11 candidates considered by the state for the Marin command, and it was an assignment he requested.

"I was raised in Yuba City, so I am pleased that I will stay in Northern California," Harris said.

Although CHP officers agree to serve anywhere in the state, Harris is particularly happy that he was selected.

His oldest son is stationed at nearby Travis Air Force Base.

The Marin CHP office is one in the nine-county Golden Gate division, which serves Bay Area bridges and highways used by more than 6 million people.

Harris will be responsible for the Golden Gate and Bay bridges, which includes maintaining traffic flow and safety for thousands of daily commercial and commuter vehicles.

He will also be responsible for protecting the bridges from possible terrorism.

Harris will be in charge of seven sergeants and 80 patrol officers, a substantially larger force than Willows' 20 patrol officers and three supervising sergeants.

Harris said he does plan to move to the Bay Area for this assignment, although his two other children will remain in Yuba City to finish high school.

Although the Marin CHP is a highly populated area and features some of the most spectacular scenery in the world, Harris said he is proud of the service he and his staff have provided on Glenn County's rural country roads and Interstate 5.

The Willows CHP has worked successfully to increase seat belt compliance, decrease drunken driving and lower the fatality rate in the area.

"We have a 57 percent drop in fatalities from where we were this time last year," he said. "I'm very proud of that."

Harris said he has enjoyed serving Glenn County the past three years and the partnerships he formed with the Willows and Orland police and the Glenn County Sheriff's departments.

Harris has also had a successful community partnership with Thunderhill Raceway Park with its Teen Car Control clinics and distracted driving workshops.

"The professionalism in this county is amazing," he said.

Harris said his successor in the Willows office has not been named. Sgt. Erik Quisenberry and Sgt. Tony Odell will share responsibility for the Willows CHP during the transition.

Sgt. Shawn Morgan, also of Yuba City, will transfer to the El Cajon CHP on Jan. 1.

His replacement will be Sgt. Brian Spiess from the Alturas CHP.

CONTACT Susan Meeker at 934-6800 or smeeker@tcnpress.com.