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Many
key states surrounding Pennsylvania have established a museum relating to their statewide
police organization.
Having been the first state to establish a state police organization of its type,
Pennsylvanians would also benefit culturally and educationally from a similar offering in
the Commonwealth.The
Pennsylvania State Police have been protecting, serving, and guarding Pennsylvanians and
people visiting our Commonwealth for 100 years.
An already impressive and growing collection of documents,
antiques, weapons, photographs, and historically significant items is quickly outgrowing
it's boundaries at the State Police Academy in Hershey, Pa. However, storage at the
Academy for these types of precious items has been a short-term solution. Currently
visitors and people of Pennsylvania are no longer able to enjoy this collection, since the
popular and informative tours had to be discontinued as they began to impede operations at
the Academy.
A visionary group of active duty
and Retired Pennsylvania State Police, and key citizens, have pioneered an effort to
establish such a facility. The facility would house and display the State
Police
artifacts collection, memorialize those who have died in the line of duty,
recognize the dedication of those who have served, and provide an important educational
point of interest about Pennsylvania's pioneering leadership for a statewide police force.
The visionary group has worked to bring this dream into reality.
Support for the Pennsylvania State
Police Historical, Educational, and Memorial Center is growing steadily in the continued
development of this non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization that was founded in 1997. Formal operations began
in January of 1999 and now after several years, the H.E.M.C. has advanced to a fully
operational office involved in planning, marketing, and fundraising, along with site,
building and exhibit designs.
State troopers, retired and active duty, and civilian
personnel have supported early operations through fundraising activities such as the
purchase of the polished black granite Memorial bricks, Commemorative Millennium Badges,
PSP Wearables and Collectible memorabilia.
After numerous sites for the
location of the museum were considered, a site for the future PSP-HEMC building has been
acquired. In the year 2000 Hershey Trust agreed to sell 10.38
acres of land adjacent to the existing State Police Academy. The site development
plans are underway. An application has been filed with Derry Township and was approved, to
rezone this parcel to an Economic Development Zoning District, which will be consistent
with Derry Township's Comprehensive Plan.
This Official PSP-HEMC web Site has also been established,
which offers on-line information about the Pennsylvania State Police Historical,
Educational and Memorial Center to the public.
These factors indicate how the concept of a PSP-HEMC is
alive and well. The Pennsylvania State Police Historical, Educational and Memorial
Center will join other worthwhile attractions in the Hershey, Greater Harrisburg, and
Susquehanna Valley area.
We accept various types of contributions, to view ...click here!
To make an Online donation using your credit card... click here!
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