PENNSYLVANIA — Governor Josh Shapiro, alongside Lieutenant Governor Austin Davis, Department of General Services (DGS) Secretary Reggie McNeil, and Pennsylvania State Police Commissioner Colonel Christopher Paris, broke ground on a new Pennsylvania State Police Academy on Monday. The event also served as an unveiling of the design plans for the cutting-edge law enforcement training facility.
The new academy is part of the Shapiro Administration’s commitment to ensuring safety across all Pennsylvanian communities. By providing police departments and the Pennsylvania State Police with well-funded, state-of-the-art training facilities, they hope to foster a well-staffed, well-trained, and well-equipped force.
The ambitious modernization project will replace the current outdated infrastructure with state-of-the-art facilities, making it the most comprehensive update to the Academy since its opening in 1960. New buildings totaling 366,000 square feet are proposed for the 146-acre site in Hershey. The plans include a five-story Marquee Building, housing modern classrooms and administrative offices, 300 individual cadet dormitories, a 500-seat auditorium, and a spacious cafeteria.
Governor Shapiro stated, “The new Pennsylvania State Police Academy will be a state-of-the-art facility second to none in the country. It will provide cadets with hands-on learning opportunities, better preparing them for service in our communities.” He added that investing in these facilities is crucial for attracting good people to train for a career in public service.
In addition to the educational spaces, the project includes a physical education building with two gymnasiums, a training tank, and a weight room. These facilities will host self-defense training, water safety courses, and fitness conditioning. Indoor and outdoor tactical villages will provide realistic simulations of high-risk incidents such as active shooter scenarios and hostage situations.
The project will also house a new headquarters for the Bureau of Emergency and Special Operations, horse stables for the Mounted Unit, a central supply warehouse, and a vehicle garage at the Pennsylvania State Police Historical, Educational, and Memorial Center.
The current Academy will remain operational throughout the construction phase. Demolition of several existing structures is part of the project, which is set to begin immediately and is expected to be completed by 2028.
Next year marks a century of training recruits in Hershey, a tradition that began in 1924 when the Pennsylvania State Highway Patrol secured the use of the former Hershey Inn. The Highway Patrol merged with the State Police in 1937, and the training school remained at the site until 1960.
The DGS has awarded contracts worth over $298 million to various companies for this project. The design professional for the project is Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP. Architectural illustrations are available on the Pennsylvania State Police website.
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