Harrisburg, PA – Since day one, Governor Josh Shapiro has focused on supporting law enforcement and prioritizing the safety and security of Pennsylvania communities. These efforts include funding for hundreds of new state troopers and local police officers, enhanced support for gun violence prevention, and the re-establishment of the Office of Gun Violence Prevention (OGVP).
Well-Staffed and Well-Funded Law Enforcement
The 2024-25 bipartisan budget provided $16 million to create four new cadet classes for the Pennsylvania State Police (PSP), funding nearly 400 more State Troopers — bringing the total to 800 additional troopers since Governor Shapiro took office. This builds on previous actions by the Shapiro Administration to expand the pool of eligible candidates for the State Police by eliminating college credit requirements. These investments — together with a reduction in our reliance on the Motor License Fund for PSP funding, freeing up an additional $125 million for road and bridge projects — are helping ensure the State Police can protect Pennsylvanians.
Over the last two years, the Shapiro Administration has also supported the hiring of 700 local police officers through grant funding from the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD).
Supporting Victims of Crime
Governor Shapiro secured $5 million for the Victims Compensation Assistance Program (VCAP), which helps victims of crime and their families cover expenses such as medical costs, relocation, and funeral services. Over the past five years, the program has processed more than 76,000 claims, totaling $65 million, across all 67 Pennsylvania counties.
Establishing the Office of Gun Violence Prevention
Governor Shapiro alongside Lieutenant Governor Austin Davis brought together law enforcement, gun violence prevention advocates, and community members to launch OGVP within the PCCD. Building on the Shapiro-Davis Administration’s commitment to creating safer communities, this initiative includes doubling funding for the Nonprofit Security Grant Fund and expanding resources for violence prevention and victim support programs. Governor Shapiro signed Executive Order 2024-02, updating a prior order by former Governor Tom Wolf, to formally re-establish the OGVP.
These historic investments reflect Governor Shapiro’s commitment to making Pennsylvania’s communities safer and addressing the root causes of violence. However, the work continues. Governor Shapiro has urged the General Assembly to pass significant gun reform legislation, which garnered bipartisan support in the Pennsylvania House last year.
Investing in Gun Violence Prevention
In this year’s budget, the Shapiro-Davis Administration made significant investments to combat gun violence and create safer communities:
- $45 million for community-based violence prevention programs through the PCCD, including a $5 million increase for the Violence Intervention and Prevention (VIP) program.
- $11.5 million for the Building Opportunity through Out of School Time (BOOST) program, which provides after-school learning opportunities for young people to reduce violence.
- A $5 million increase for the Nonprofit Security Grant Fund at PCCD, helping places of worship and community centers enhance their security measures.
- An additional $2.5 million for domestic violence services through the PA Department of Human Services (DHS).
Click here to watch Governor Shapiro’s new video on how his Administration has prioritized the safety and security of Pennsylvania communities through historic investments in law enforcement and violence prevention and read the transcript below.
TRANSCRIPT
“Listen, Pennsylvanians should be able to walk down the street in their neighborhood — free from fear.
This budget builds on the progress that we made last year, providing funds to hire an additional 400 state troopers across Pennsylvania. All told — on our collective watch — that means 800 new state troopers that we have funded over the last two years. And we're investing more in PSP to help them modernize their vehicle fleet and implement commonsense public safety initiatives, like body-worn cameras now being deployed all across the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
We're also investing in the well-being of our corrections officers to create a better environment for them and for those behind bars in our prisons. We have to invest in well-trained, well-equipped law enforcement. But hear me on this, we also have to invest in our communities and the folks on the ground who are doing the violence prevention work every single day.
We know that people crave that safety. We're delivering on that promise to them. They deserve to both be safe and feel safe in their communities. And we're delivering for them.”
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