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Mark Garrett is a retired California Highway Patrol Chief. He began his law enforcement career in 1990, starting as a road patrol officer. He worked various patrol duties, investigative and administrative assignments throughout the CHP’s Southern Division, rising to his final rank of Chief before retiring in 2020. Some of his proudest memories are those of his time as the Southern Division Public Information and Recruitment Coordinator. In this role, Mark was the spokesman for the CHP’s busiest of eight Field Divisions, working with numerous news outlets in the world’s second largest media market.
In 2008, Mark reached out to then NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Team Yates Racing and brokered a deal for the CHP to sponsor the number 28 Ford Fusion driven by Travis Kvapil. Kvapil drove the car, wrapped in the full likeness of a CHP patrol vehicle, to a 19th place finish at the Toyota Savemart 350 in Sonoma, California. The publicity and marketing resulted in one of the CHP’s most successful recruitment campaigns in history. The car was also awarded the year’s best NASCAR Cup paint scheme by CBS Sports.
Throughout his career, Mark has been proactive and enthusiastic in his efforts to elevate the profile of the law enforcement profession, and to explore new and unique ways to advocate for the men and women who perform their duties honorably in the pursuit of maintaining a civil society.
Prior to and during his time with the CHP, Mark was a member of the United States National Cycling Team. He won four United States Elite National Championship titles, and competed in the 2002 World Para Championships, where he and his blind female partner earned two World Championship titles on the tandem bicycle in Augsburg, Germany.