Pa. Governor Corbett Announces Funding for Three New State Police Classes

Budget includes plan to train 290 new cadets, 90 civilian police dispatchers

MOON TOWNSHIP, Pa., Jan. 29, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Governor Tom Corbett today announced that his 2013-14 budget will provide funding for three new classes of cadets for the Pennsylvania State Police.

"One of the core obligations of state government is to provide for the safety of its citizens,'' Corbett said. "If we cannot make our citizens safe on our streets or in their own homes, everything we do is futile. Without safety there can be no society.''

The current budget provides for a new class of 90 cadets to begin training next month. Corbett's proposed budget calls for three additional classes of state police cadets, a total of 290 new cadets, plus the hiring of 90 civilian police dispatchers.

State police Commissioner Frank Noonan joined Corbett today in making the announcement at the Pittsburgh state police barracks in Moon Township.

"One of Governor Corbett's top public safety priorities is to put more state troopers in our communities and on our streets,'' Noonan said. "Thanks to him, these troopers will enhance the safety and security of all Pennsylvanians.''

"While the increase in manpower is an achievement for the department, the continuing decline in manpower through retirement remains distressing,'' Noonan said. "We are still at critical numbers. The problem is that the number of new troopers is not keeping pace with the number of outgoing troopers.''

In the 2012-13 fiscal year, 136 state police enlisted members have retired or have announced plans to retire. An additional 1,243 troopers are eligible to retire by the end of June. Current state police complement is down more than 480 troopers from what the department is authorized to have.

Cadets must successfully complete 27 weeks of training at the Pennsylvania State Police Academy in Hershey before they become state troopers. In addition to the February class, Corbett's budget proposes 115 cadets beginning training in August, 60 cadets beginning in November, and 115 cadets beginning in April 2014.

By hiring and training new civilian dispatchers, troopers will be able to return to patrol and other law enforcement duties.

"My forthcoming budget will present a number of other initiatives, from education to transportation to expanding the economy while streamlining and modernizing state government. But public safety must underpin each of these advances if we are truly to serve the public good,'' Corbett said.

Corbett will provide more details about the full 2013-14 budget proposal in early February.

For more information, visit www.pa.gov.

Media contact: Janet Kelley, Governor's Office, 717-783-1116
Maria A. Finn or Trooper Adam Reed, State Police, 717-783-5556

SOURCE Pennsylvania Office of the Governor