Pennsylvania State Police reveal upgraded training academy in Hershey
The Pennsylvania State Police Academy in Hershey has introduced new facilities, including a tactical training area, fitness track, and warehouse, to enhance cadet training.
HERSHEY, Pa. —
The Pennsylvania State Police Academy in Hershey has unveiled renovations aimed at improving cadet training, including a tactical training area, fitness track, and a 25,000-square-foot warehouse.
Realistic, hands-on training
“We anticipate training for everything from the most serious incident to the most mundane,” said Gerard McShea, director of the Pennsylvania State Police Bureau of Training and Education.
The academy’s new tactical training area includes replicas of homes, schools, and even a church, providing cadets with realistic environments for practice.
“We’re just going to try to make it as realistic as possible,” McShea said.
Troopers are also shifting their focus to more hands-on training. “Rather than ask the cadet or the trainee, ‘What did you do wrong’, we can show it and we can review it and have a better idea and make ourselves more tactically sound,” McShea said.
Fitness and equipment upgrades
Fitness training has been upgraded with the addition of an on-site track. Previously, troopers had to rent a track for training purposes.
“Anytime we put in a class, they have to meet physical fitness standards,” McShea said. “We can do everything in-house here and then move them forward in the process.”
The new warehouse will store and provide access to essential equipment for cadets. “This will maintain everything from the department from, like I said, hats to boots to ties to our firearms to our ammunition to flares,” McShea said.
Pennsylvania State Police Acting Commissioner George Bivens highlighted the long-term impact of the upgrades. “It’s just quite a legacy that we’re going to leave for the future generations of troopers,” he said.