Temecula CHP Welcomes New Commander: Captain Karyn Mentink

TEMECULA, CA – On August 1, 2016, Captain Karyn Mentink took command of the California Highway Patrol (CHP) Temecula Area office. The CHP Temecula Area office is responsible for providing service on freeways and in the unincorporated areas throughout the Southwest Riverside County from the San Diego County line north to Highway 74 in the Lake Elsinore and Perris areas. The CHP Temecula Area encompasses over 900 square miles of the Southwest Riverside County. Captain Mentink oversees the operations of the CHP Temecula Area. Captain Mentink has one lieutenant, five sergeants, 53 officers, 7 non-uniformed positions and 16 senior volunteers working under her command.

Captain Karyn Mentink has worked in a variety of assignments in her 25 years with the Department. Captain Mentink was born in Colorado and was raised in Calistoga, California. She has been a Southern California resident since 1991. Captain Mentink joined the CHP in 1990 and has worked in the West Valley, West Los Angeles, San Diego, and Truckee Areas. Most recently, she was assigned as the Commander of El Centro CHP in the Imperial Valley.

Captain Mentink looks forward to serving the community within the CHP Temecula Area. She will continue to work with Caltrans in planning for highway construction projects to alleviate the traffic bottlenecks and ease congestion in the Temecula and Murrieta. Her focus will be to work with allied agencies and community stakeholders to provide the highest level of service for the local citizens. She will ensure officers continue to expeditiously deal with collisions and traffic hazards to minimize the impact to motorists and reduce collisions.

– Submitted for publication by the Temecula Area CHP.