Bruce Carpenter

  Quincy Area California Highway Patrol Commander Bruce Carpenter will be transferring out of the Quincy office at the end of the month.

  The CHP announced that Lt. Carpenter will become the commander of the Willows CHP Area effective March 1. A replacement for Carpenter is expected to be announced before May 1, according to the CHP.

  The CHP reported that Carpenter would continue to act as the Quincy Area commander until May 1, splitting time between Quincy and Willows.

  Carpenter, who lives in Paradise, has been the Quincy Area commander since August 2010.

  The CHP veteran took the lead for his department in summer 2011 after citizens voiced complaints about the tactics of CHP officers in the field.

  Carpenter took part in several public and townhall-style meetings, pledging to address the problems and work to improve the relationship with local residents.

  “This is our issue and we will take ownership of it,” Carpenter said during a meeting with Feather Publishing in August 2011.

  Carpenter made good on his pledge by addressing complaints and meeting individually with local citizens over the past two years.

  “I’ve had a lot of contact from members of the community,” Carpenter said in 2011. “I’m getting specifics. First-hand information. And we are looking into every single complaint.”

  Carpenter was not available for comment before the newspaper’s deadline.

  The CHP press release read, “Lieutenant Carpenter would like to express his gratitude to his staff, his public safety partners, and the community at large for their continuing support and cooperative effort. It has been a pleasure to serve the citizens of Plumas, Sierra, and Lassen counties.”

Lacey Heitman

  In addition, Quincy Area CHP Public Information Officer Lacey Heitman will be transferring to the Northern Division Office in Redding on March 1.

  Heitman will be replaced by Officer Brodie Mitchell.

  She said she will be working two days per week in the Quincy office until the end of February.