Pennsylvania State Police

Pennsylvania State Police
Patch of Pennsylvania State Police
Patch of Pennsylvania State Police
Wordmark of the Pennsylvania State Police
Wordmark of the Pennsylvania State Police
AbbreviationPSP
Agency overview
FormedMay 2, 1905; 119 years ago (1905-05-02)
Preceding agencies
  • Pennsylvania State Constabulary Pennsylvania State Constables (1905–1937)
  • State Highway Patrol (1923–1937)
  • Pennsylvania Motor Police (1937–1943)
Jurisdictional structure
Operations jurisdictionPennsylvania, U.S.
Pennsylvania State Police Troops
Size46,055 sq mi
Population12,972,008 (2022)[1]
General nature
Operational structure
HeadquartersHarrisburg, Pennsylvania
Troopers4,740 (as of 2023)[2]
Civilian employees1,850 (as of 2015)[2]
Agency executive
Areas4
Troops16
Facilities
Stations90
Airbases6
Helicopters6 Bell 407GX
Airplanes2 "High Wings"
Website
Pennsylvania State Police website

The Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) is the state police agency of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, responsible for statewide law enforcement. The Pennsylvania State Police is a full service law enforcement agency which handles both traffic and criminal law enforcement. The Pennsylvania State Police was founded in 1905 by order of Governor Samuel Pennypacker, by signing Senate Bill 278 on May 2, 1905. The bill was signed in response to the Great Anthracite Strike of 1902. Leading up to the Anthracite Strike, private police forces (the coal and iron police) were used by mine and mill owners to stop worker strikes. The inability or refusal of local police or sheriffs' offices to enforce the law directly influenced the signing of Bill 278. The Anthracite Strike lasted from May 15 to October 23, 1902, and was ended with the help of Theodore Roosevelt, the sitting president at the time.

PSP enlisted members are referred to as "Troopers". Up until 1963, married men were not allowed to apply to the state police, and active troopers had to seek permission from their superior officer to get married. As of 2021, the state police has approximately 4,547 State Troopers and more than 1,850 civilian support staff.[3]

  1. ^ "QuickFacts: Pennsylvania". U.S. Census Bureau. July 1, 2022. Retrieved June 6, 2023.
  2. ^ a b "Pennsylvania State Police Appropriation Hearings 2022-23 Budget Request".
  3. ^ "About the Pennsylvania State Police". Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Retrieved 12-08-2014.