PRINTER'S NO. 253
No. 27 Session of 2005
INTRODUCED BY ROBBINS, RAFFERTY, THOMPSON, LOGAN, PICCOLA,
WENGER, O'PAKE, M. WHITE, CONTI, COSTA, LAVALLE, CORMAN,
RHOADES, KASUNIC, SCARNATI, VANCE, STACK, TARTAGLIONE, ORIE,
ARMSTRONG, WOZNIAK, D. WHITE, TOMLINSON, KITCHEN, ERICKSON,
LEMMOND, STOUT, GREENLEAF, WAUGH, MADIGAN, BOSCOLA, PILEGGI,
PUNT, FERLO, EARLL, WONDERLING, MUSTO AND GORDNER,
FEBRUARY 11, 2005
REFERRED TO LAW AND JUSTICE, FEBRUARY 11, 2005
A RESOLUTION
1 Congratulating the Pennsylvania State Police on the occasion of
2 the 100th anniversary of its founding.
3 WHEREAS, In 1902, after President Theodore Roosevelt
4 intervened to end the Great Anthracite Strike, it was recognized
5 that peace and order should be maintained by regularly appointed
6 and responsible officers employed by the public; and
7 WHEREAS, The Pennsylvania State Police was created as an
8 executive department of State government by legislation, Senate
9 Bill 278, signed into law by Governor Samuel W. Pennypacker on
10 May 2, 1905; and
11 WHEREAS, The Pennsylvania State Police became the first
12 uniformed police organization of its kind in the United States;
13 and
14 WHEREAS, The original complement was limited by law to 228
15 men who were to patrol Pennsylvania's entire 45,000 square
1 miles; and
2 WHEREAS, The force was divided into four troops: Troop A
3 (Greensburg), Troop B (Wilkes-Barre), Troop C (Reading) and
4 Troop D (Punxsutawney); and
5 WHEREAS, On September 2, 1906, the first two State Policemen,
6 Private John F. Henry and Private Francis A. Zehringer, were
7 killed in the line of duty in Jefferson County; and
8 WHEREAS, In 1907 the State Police Superintendent dictated
9 that enlistments were only open to single men; and
10 WHEREAS, In January 1908 the State Police Superintendent
11 established weekly training programs in each troop, a technique
12 still used today; and
13 WHEREAS, On June 1, 1909, Troop C (Reading) was moved to
14 Pottsville and designated as a State Police training school; and
15 WHEREAS, On January 15, 1911, Troop D (Punxsutawney) was
16 moved to Butler County; and
17 WHEREAS, In 1911 the State Police Superintendent established
18 two-year enlistment periods; and
19 WHEREAS, On November 10, 1916, former President Theodore
20 Roosevelt praised the organization:
21 The Pennsylvania State Police is a model of efficiency, a
22 model of honesty, a model of absolute freedom from political
23 contamination...there is no other body so emphatically
24 efficient for modern needs as the Pennsylvania State Police.
25 I have seen them at work. I know personally number of men in
26 ranks. I know some of the officers. I feel so strongly about
27 them that the mere fact a man is honorably discharged from
28 this Force would make me at once, and without hesitation,
29 employ him for any purpose needing courage, prowess, good
30 judgment, loyalty, and entire trustworthiness. This is a good
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1 deal to say of any organization, and I say it without
2 qualification of the Pennsylvania Police;
3 and
4 WHEREAS, By 1919 the demand for additional State Police units
5 brought about the first increase in complement, authorizing a
6 maximum force of 415 men; and
7 WHEREAS, On July 1, 1919, the State Police established Troop
8 E (Lancaster); and
9 WHEREAS, The transfer of State Fire Marshal duties to the
10 State Police and the first motorcycle patrols to deal with the
11 growing number of motorists also occurred in 1919; and
12 WHEREAS, In 1920 a State Police training school was
13 established in Newville, Cumberland County, and the Bureau of
14 Criminal Identification and the Bureau of Fire Protection were
15 created; and
16 WHEREAS, In 1923 the State Highway Patrol was created within
17 the Department of Highways to enforce vehicle laws; and
18 WHEREAS, The State Police installed the nation's first
19 Statewide police radio telegraph system in 1923; and
20 WHEREAS, On March 1, 1923, the Newville Training School was
21 closed and replaced by a temporary school established at the
22 Pennsylvania National Guard Military Reservation at Mt. Gretna,
23 Lebanon County; and
24 WHEREAS, In 1924 Troop C (Pottsville) was moved to Reading,
25 Troop E (Lancaster) was moved to Harrisburg, and a new State
26 Police Training School was established in Hershey; and
27 WHEREAS, In 1927 the State Police Superintendent established
28 the first two State Highway Patrol Troops, Troop A (Harrisburg)
29 and Troop B (Greensburg), and the State Police established a
30 public radio station in Harrisburg (WBAK) and issued a
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1 regulation prohibiting any member from marrying without the
2 Superintendent's approval; and
3 WHEREAS, On June 1, 1928, the State Highway Patrol
4 established Troop C (Bellefonte); and
5 WHEREAS, On September 1, 1929, the State Highway Patrol
6 established Troop D (Williamsport); and
7 WHEREAS, In 1929 all State Police were required to memorize
8 the "Call of Honor," which is as follows:
9 I am a Pennsylvania State Trooper, a soldier of the law. To
10 me is entrusted the honor of the force. I must serve
11 honestly, faithfully, and if need be, lay down my life as
12 others have done before me, rather than swerve from the path
13 of duty. It is my duty to obey the law and to enforce it
14 without any consideration of class, color, creed or
15 condition. It is also my duty to be of service to anyone who
16 may be in danger or distress, and at all times so conduct
17 myself that the honor of the force may be upheld;
18 and
19 WHEREAS, In 1930 the State Police Superintendent established
20 a Headquarters Detective Division; and
21 WHEREAS, In 1931 Governor Gifford Pinchot formally dedicated
22 a new Highway Patrol Building in Harrisburg; and
23 WHEREAS, In 1932 the State Highway Patrol established Troop E
24 (Philadelphia), and the State Police Superintendent established
25 a Criminal Intelligence Section, a Photographic Section and a
26 small Crime Laboratory Division; and
27 WHEREAS, In 1935 the State Highway Patrol established Troop F
28 (Franklin); and
29 WHEREAS, On June 29, 1937, the Highway Patrol was merged with
30 the State Police and the new department, called the Pennsylvania
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1 Motor Police, was divided into four districts with district
2 headquarters established in Greensburg, Harrisburg, Wyoming and
3 Philadelphia; and
4 WHEREAS, Districts I and II consisted of Troop A
5 (Greensburg), Troop D (Butler), Troop E (Harrisburg), Troop F
6 (Franklin), Troop G (Hollidaysburg), Troop H (Greensburg) and
7 Troop I (Bellefonte), and Districts III and IV consisted of
8 Troop B (Wyoming), Troop C (Reading), Troop K (Kingston) and
9 Troop L (Philadelphia); and
10 WHEREAS, On August 11, 1938, the department was reorganized.
11 The First Squadron consisted of Troop A (Greensburg), Troop B
12 (Washington), Troop C (Punxsutawney), Troop D (Butler) and Troop
13 E (Erie). The Second Squadron consisted of Troop A (Harrisburg),
14 Troop B (Chambersburg), Troop C (Hollidaysburg), Troop D
15 (Williamsport) and Troop E (Harrisburg). Also, in 1938, a
16 Medical Unit and a Communications Division were created; and
17 WHEREAS, In June 1939 legislation was enacted that added to
18 the responsibilities of the Pennsylvania Motor Police the return
19 of escaped convicts and parole violators as well as the annual
20 inspection of school buses; and
21 WHEREAS, On October 1, 1940, Troop B (Chambersburg) was
22 dissolved and reestablished as a special patrol unit in Bedford
23 with the responsibility of patrolling the newly established
24 Pennsylvania Turnpike System; and
25 WHEREAS, The former troop's duties were divided among Troop A
26 (Greensburg), Troop A (Harrisburg) and Troop C (Hollidaysburg);
27 and
28 WHEREAS, Act 52 of April 28, 1943, changed the name of the
29 organization from the Pennsylvania Motor Police to the
30 Pennsylvania State Police, and the department became responsible
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1 for enforcing the Uniform Firearms Act; and
2 WHEREAS, The Pennsylvania State Police was assigned to assist
3 the Pennsylvania Aeronautics Commission in the investigation of
4 aircraft accidents and aircraft violations in 1945; and
5 WHEREAS, 1946 saw the first Statewide radio telephone system
6 installed and the elimination of "flag stops"; and
7 WHEREAS, In 1947 new laws authorized the Pennsylvania State
8 Police to assist the Department of Revenue in collecting the
9 State's cigarette tax and enforcing the fuel use tax; and
10 WHEREAS, In 1954 John R. Dudley, Jr., became the first black
11 member of the Pennsylvania State Police; and
12 WHEREAS, Act 360 of July 10, 1957, provided for a mandatory
13 retirement at 60 years of age, exclusive of the Commissioner and
14 Deputy Commissioner; and
15 WHEREAS, A new Pennsylvania State Police Academy in Hershey
16 opened on March 2, 1960; and
17 WHEREAS, On September 1, 1961, the Pennsylvania State Police
18 officially began radar speed checks; and
19 WHEREAS, On October 1, 1963, married men were permitted to
20 apply, and in that same year the Commissioner established a
21 Youth Aid Division; and
22 WHEREAS, All Troops dropped the district designation and were
23 alphabetically designated on January 1, 1965: Troop A
24 (Greensburg), Troop B (Washington), Troop C (Punxsutawney),
25 Troop D (Butler), Troop E (Erie), Troop F (Montoursville), Troop
26 G (Hollidaysburg), Troop H (Harrisburg), Troop J (Lancaster),
27 Troop K (Philadelphia), Troop L (Reading), Troop M (Bethlehem),
28 Troop N (Hazleton), Troop P (Wyoming), Troop R (Dunmore) and
29 Troop T (Highspire); and
30 WHEREAS, The radio teletype system was computerized on June
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1 1, 1965; and
2 WHEREAS, On October 5, 1967, a new law (Act 140) eliminated
3 the two-year enlistment process and provided for one enlistment
4 until discharge or retirement; and
5 WHEREAS, In November 1968 the State Police Aviation Division
6 was established; and
7 WHEREAS, A new Troop S, activated on September 1, 1970, was
8 given the responsibility of patrolling the interstate system;
9 and
10 WHEREAS, On October 1, 1971, the first female applicants were
11 accepted as cadets in the Pennsylvania State Police Academy; and
12 WHEREAS, Fourteen women graduated and were appointed as
13 Troopers in July 1972; and
14 WHEREAS, The Pennsylvania State Police received
15 responsibility for administering the Statewide Uniform Crime
16 Report on July 1, 1973; and
17 WHEREAS, In 1974 the Pennsylvania State Police received a new
18 radio communications system; and
19 WHEREAS, A new Pennsylvania State Police Department
20 Headquarters building was dedicated on September 12, 1978; and
21 WHEREAS, Two UH1B helicopters (Hueys) were put into service
22 in March 1979 for disaster rescues and emergency medical
23 transportation; and
24 WHEREAS, In marking the department's 75th anniversary, a
25 memorial honoring persons killed in the line of duty was
26 dedicated at the Pennsylvania State Police Academy; and
27 WHEREAS, In October 1980, the Pennsylvania State Police
28 expanded the aviation division with the addition of a Cessna 182
29 Skylane fixed-wing aircraft to assist in the State Police Aerial
30 Reconnaissance Enforcement (SPARE) Program; and
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1 WHEREAS, The department's Laboratory Division expanded in
2 October 1982 with the addition of a new laboratory in Lima,
3 Delaware County; and
4 WHEREAS, Pennsylvania Crime Watch was created in December
5 1982 in an effort to reduce crime; and
6 WHEREAS, In 1986 the following programs were established: the
7 Pennsylvania Crime Stoppers program, the Operation Whiteline
8 drug interdiction program and the Special Emergency Response
9 Team (SERT); and
10 WHEREAS, In 1986 a new radio communication system was
11 installed throughout this Commonwealth, allowing officers to
12 communicate with local police jurisdictions; and
13 WHEREAS, The enforcement of Pennsylvania's liquor laws was
14 transferred to the State Police in July 1987, and the Bureau of
15 Liquor Control Enforcement was established; and
16 WHEREAS, In August 1987 Ronald Sharpe became the first
17 African American to be appointed Commissioner of the
18 Pennsylvania State Police; and
19 WHEREAS, The Pennsylvania State Police responded to reports
20 of a major riot at the Camp Hill State Correctional Institution
21 on October 25, 1989; and
22 WHEREAS, By the time the prison was secured on October 27,
23 1989, nearly 1,200 Troopers had been involved in the security
24 operation; and
25 WHEREAS, In April 1990, 50 Troopers were appointed as the
26 first members of the new Tactical Narcotics Team (TNT); and
27 WHEREAS, The Automated Fingerprint Identification System
28 (AFIS) also became operational in 1990; and
29 WHEREAS, In June 1992 two new Bureaus were created: the
30 Bureau of Drug Law Enforcement and the Bureau of Emergency and
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1 Special Operations; and
2 WHEREAS, That same year saw the opening of the first law
3 enforcement DNA testing laboratory in Greensburg; and
4 WHEREAS, On July 31, 1993, the Pennsylvania State Police
5 became the largest accredited police agency in the world; and
6 WHEREAS, That same year, 34 full-time community service
7 officers were appointed throughout this Commonwealth; and
8 WHEREAS, In August 1995 the department formed a Ceremonial
9 Unit to standardize the response and appearance of members at
10 funerals and parades; and
11 WHEREAS, In April 1996 the use of video cameras in patrol
12 cars was authorized; and
13 WHEREAS, On July 12, 1996, Troop B (Pittsburgh) was closed;
14 and
15 WHEREAS, In February 1997 the department acquired the
16 Integrated Ballistics Identification System (IBIS) and developed
17 a new Cadet Qualifying Examination; and
18 WHEREAS, On May 17, 1997, Area V was realigned by
19 consolidating the interstate troop, Troop S, with and into
20 adjacent county Troop Commands; and
21 WHEREAS, The Pennsylvania State Police maintains a "Ten Most
22 Wanted Fugitive List"; and
23 WHEREAS, The Pennsylvania State Police has established a
24 toll-free telephone number to allow members of the public to
25 contact it with information relative to Pennsylvania's Homeland
26 Security: to report a tip, call 1-888-292-1919; and
27 WHEREAS, Today the authorized complement of the Pennsylvania
28 State Police is 4,545 sworn members; and
29 WHEREAS, More than 1,600 civilians serve in a variety of
30 roles throughout the department; and
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1 WHEREAS, The core purpose of the Pennsylvania State Police is
2 to seek justice, preserve peace and improve the quality of life
3 for all; and
4 WHEREAS, This organization is comprised of men and women who
5 help form the front line of homeland security and who risk their
6 lives every day to ensure the safety of the citizens of this
7 Commonwealth; therefore be it
8 RESOLVED, That the Senate congratulate the Pennsylvania State
9 Police on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of its founding.
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