Pennsylvania State Police are expanding a program for older teens that was originally launched last year at the PSP Academy, located just over the county line in Hershey.

The PSP Academy occupies the easternmost portion of Pat’s Hill, a.k.a. “The Hill,” an iconic local peak adjacent to Hersheypark.

In February 2022, PSP welcomed its first class of participants in The Hill Impact Program, a four-month program for teens ages 15-18 with interest in law enforcement careers.

For 2023, the program will be held simultaneously at the PSP Academy in Hershey, the PSP Southwest Training Center in Greensburg, and the Kingston Armory in Kingston.

“We are thrilled this program has expanded into three geographic areas of the state,” said Major Joanne Reed, director of the Pennsylvania State Police Bureau of Training and Education, in a press release.

“Teenagers between the ages of 15 to 18 who are interested in pursuing a future career in law enforcement are encouraged to enroll in this educational opportunity as it will offer a unique experience showcasing the career of a state trooper.”

Students will learn about the Pennsylvania crimes code, vehicle code, rules of criminal procedures, principles of law enforcement, and physical fitness.

The program is free of charge. The program will begin in January 2023 and include a weekly two-and-a-half hour evening meeting as well as four Saturdays for four hours each.

Interested local teens are encouraged to contact Trooper Clint Long no later than Dec. 31 at ra-sprecruiter-acad@pa.gov or 717-497-4577. Spots are expected to fill up quickly.

The PSP Academy has been located at The Hill since 1960. Before moving to its current location off of Hersheypark Drive, PSP had also occupied a facility located in the area of today’s Hershey Middle School and its surrounding athletic fields, and prior to that it had barracks and training grounds in Lebanon County.

Hershey History Center file photo of the Pennsylvania State Police Academy located atop “The Hill” in Hershey. The facility is located a stone’s throw from the Lebanon County/Dauphin County county-line.

Read More: The historical ties connecting the Pennsylvania State Police to Lebanon County

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