aron ching CHP
Aaron Ching on May 1 began his new position as Captain of the Santa Cruz area California Highway Patrol. — Tarmo Hannula/The Pajaronian

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—The Santa Cruz area California Highway Patrol has brought aboard a new Captain, Aron Ching. 

Born and raised in the Hawaiian Islands, Ching moved to California to pursue a career with the CHP and has been with the department for 23 years. 

His new role at the Aptos CHP office began May 1.

Meanwhile, the office bade farewell to Capt. Craig Kunzler, who will now take over as a Captain in the CHP Central Division out of Fresno.

“I’m happy to be with the Santa Cruz CHP,” Ching said. “I look forward to working with this department. I definitely sense the Aloha spirit here in Santa Cruz; there is a low key feeling here.”

Ching worked his way up the ranks and in several different fields, including serving as a motorcycle officer in Hayward. He last served in Judicial Protective Services in San Francisco before accepting the new role in Santa Cruz. He will oversee about 60 officers.

Ching said he has no immediate plans for changes, but would rather comfortably blend in and get acquainted with his new surroundings and personnel.

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Tarmo Hannula has been the lead photographer with The Pajaronian newspaper in Watsonville since 1997. More recently Good Times & Press Banner. He also reports on a wide range of topics, including police, fire, environment, schools, the arts and events. A fifth generation Californian, Tarmo was born in the Mother Lode of the Sierra (Columbia) and has lived in Santa Cruz County since the late 1970s. He earned a BA from UC Santa Cruz and has traveled to 33 countries.

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