Hershey, PA – Nearly three years after breaking ground, the Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) and the Department of General Services (DGS) today unveiled a newly completed outdoor tactical training area, marking the latest milestone in the construction of PSP’s new state-of-the-art Academy. The project will modernize the 68-year old campus, continuing Governor Josh Shapiro’s work to build safer communities by ensuring Troopers are well-trained to protect Pennsylvanians.
“It is inspiring to see our vision of a state-of-the-art Academy coming to life that will provide our cadets now and for generations to come with cutting-edge resources and world-class training that best prepares them for policing in the 21st century,” said Lieutenant Colonel George L. Bivens, Acting Commissioner of the Pennsylvania State Police. “This project is a long-term investment to help the brave women and men who choose to wear the uniform to protect Pennsylvanians while keeping themselves safe.”
The new tactical training area, called a Callout Village, consists of replica homes, a business, and a place of worship. Each structure will provide cadets and other law enforcement personnel with realistic environments to train for real-life situations that they are likely to face in the field. From neighbor disputes to active shooter situations, the Callout Village will allow cadets to gain hands-on experience responding to emergencies, learn from their mistakes, and develop best practices for handling highly stressful, dangerous, and intense situations well before they graduate and become state troopers.
PSP also highlighted the completion of its new 25,000-square-foot Procurement and Supply Warehouse, which is set to open in the coming weeks. The facility will relocate operations from the previously leased warehouse in Harrisburg to the Academy, providing the State Police with a more centralized location for accessing critical resources.
"Working alongside the Pennsylvania State Police, DGS is helping deliver a world-class Academy that will support generations of troopers with the facilities, technology, and training environments they need to protect Pennsylvanians,” said DGS Acting Secretary Sandra Aguilera. “We're proud of this partnership and the lasting impact it will have on communities across the Commonwealth."
Today’s event celebrated significant progress in a $400 million construction project that reflects the Shapiro Administration’s continued commitment to ensure law enforcement is well-trained, well-staffed, well-funded, and well-equipped to keep Pennsylvanians safe.
Governor Shapiro secured $16.2 million in the 2026-27 state budget to fund four additional Pennsylvania State Police cadet classes, which will train approximately 380 new troopers. Since taking office, the Governor has secured funding for 16 cadet classes to train over 1,600 new Pennsylvania State Troopers. To date, 673 cadets have graduated and joined the ranks of PSP under Governor Shapiro’s leadership.
The Shapiro Administration significantly boosted PSP recruitment numbers by eliminating the college requirement for applicants in August of 2023. The state police saw a 69% increase in applicants in 2025 compared to 2022, when the college credit requirement was still in place.
The Governor joined PSP in breaking ground on the 143-acre Academy project in December 2023. Since then, progress has been made in building a new:
- Bureau of Emergency and Special Operations (BESO) headquarters, which is scheduled to open in the next few months.
- Grounds and maintenance facility, which is scheduled to open early in 2027.
- Five-story, 300,000-square-foot Marquee Building, which is scheduled to open sometime next spring.
The Marquee Building, overlooking Hershey Park Drive, will house modern classrooms and administrative offices, 300 individual cadet dorm rooms, a 500-seat auditorium, an indoor tactical training village, and a spacious cafeteria.
When the Marquee Building is complete, the second phase of the new Academy project will begin, which includes demolishing the current Academy building to make way for new training facilities. One building will feature a 25-lane indoor shooting range.
“Wohlsen Construction Company, in collaboration with the project's other prime contractors (Jay R. Reynolds, Midline Mechanical, Phillips Brothers, JBM Mechanical and US Solutions) and the design group (Skidmore, Owings and Merrill), are proud to play a role in the transformation of the Pennsylvania State Police Academy," said Mike Pluta, Project Executive for Wohlsen Construction Company. "This project represents a significant investment in the future of public safety across the Commonwealth, providing cadets and troopers with modern facilities and realistic training environments designed to support their mission. As key components of the new Academy come online, we are honored to help deliver a campus that will serve the Pennsylvania State Police and the citizens they protect for generations to come."
The PSP unveiled its state-of-the-art horse stable in December 2025. The 21,000-square-foot facility accommodates up to 30 horses in a modern, well-designed environment.
The Academy, which has trained cadets since 1960, has remained operational throughout construction, although several structures were demolished as part of the site preparation. The entire project is expected to be completed in 2028.
Photos and video from today's event will be available at PAcast.com.
For more information on the Pennsylvania State Police, visit psp.pa.gov.
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