The photograph of the trooper with the child shown on this page is perhaps
the most well-known photograph involving a member of the Pennsylvania State Police. It has
been copied hundreds of times and hangs in locations throughout the Department.
Various stories and legends exist regarding the history of this photo. We attempted to
separate fact from fiction and received many responses. To the best of our knowledge, here
are the facts:
The member in the photo is Cpl. Albert V. Belkoski, who was posted to Troop N, Bloomsburg.
He was about 48 at the time of the photograph and had served 26 years with the Department.
The boy he is comforting is Curt Lambert, 6, who had been knocked off his bicycle by a car
while riding along Old Berwick Road.
As Belkoski was comforting the boy, a staff photographer for the Bloomsburg Morning Press
by the name of Marlin Wagner took the photograph. Wagner said the youngster was frightened
and crying, but immediately became calm when Belkoski hugged him. Belkoski was checking
for a head injury as the photo was taken.
The picture appeared in the next issue of the newspaper, but how the photo first made its
way to the State Police is not clear. According to a short item in the June 1975 issue of
The Communicator, a copy of the picture was sent to Commissioner James D. Barger by state
Rep. George Wagner.
During that time period, all photographs that appeared’ in newspapers were forwarded
to-Departmental Headquarters. In addition, Marlin Wagner took photos foriise in
investigations. So the photo may have ended up at the Bloomsburg barracks and been passed
on from there.
Torn Snavely, who supervised the photo section of the Harrisburg Crime Lab and retired in
1998, said the State Police Public Information Office gained permission from both the
photographer and the newspaper to use the photograph.
Many copies were made and distributed throughout the Department. The picture became one of
our “official displays.” Interest in the photograph waned as time went on and
there was discussion about staging a photograph to replace the Belkoski picture in
official displays because the uniform shoulder patch had changed. That idea never got off
the ground.
8th Annual Pennsylvania State Police Soldiers
of the Law Memorial Ride~April 28, 2012
11:00 AM Departure
(staging begins at 9:00 AM) Rain date: Sunday, April 29, (Check
the facebook
page on the day of the ride to find out if the ride is on or if it will be postponed due
to rain). More details & Registration Download flyer
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Postal address: PSP-HEMC
187 Police Academy Drive
Hershey, PA 17033
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HEMC's NEWS &
EVENTS & INFORMATION
Last, But Not Least
A lot of people had come to
me recently and asked if I knew who Paul I. Gourley was. They had just noticed his name in the
recent Communicator and found a great interest in his age. It indicated that he had just turned 99
years of age, but at least the retirees who were local to my area (Harrisburg) never heard of him.
The main questions were: is he the oldest living retired Trooper and was there anyone older? After
conversing with Dan Fiscus, the treasurer of the Pennsylvania State Police Retirees Association,
it was decided that I should attempt to call him. There was always a chance he wasn’t around
anymore. Well, that turned out to be untrue and he was definitely alive. We had several phone
conversations and he was able to recall and describe so many things from his long life. Listening
to him was like a surreal journey back in time, like things you’ve read about in books, but
instead the pages of this old book were talking back to you. I have supplemented his information
with other facts available from records and documents. There is a possibility of error within the
following as a result of my misunderstanding or misinterpretation of Sergeant Gourley, but they
should be minimal and not affect the overall story.
He first wanted to make a correction on his age. He was born on August 9, 1912, and so is only 98
years of age and won’t turn 99 for another three months. Even with this correction, this
makes him the oldest known Pennsylvania State Trooper, second to Charles Correll (born October 6,
1913). There is a possibility that someone older does exist, but at this time it’s an
unknown. Also, with the information available, he may have the distinction as being the last of
the Highway Patrolmen. Paul Gourley was born in a log cabin located on his grandfather’s farm
in WestmorelandTownship. There was a newer home on the property, but his immediate family lived
in the original family home, a log cabin. His father worked at the steel mills at Vandergrift and
then Apollo. Paul would graduate from ApolloHigh School in 1930; Apollo is located across the Kiski River from Vandergrift. Inopportunely he picked the wrong time to graduate. The stock market had
crashed the previous year and there weren’t any jobs.
UPDATE
A memorial service held in November in Florida was attended by more than
60 of his neighbors; retired PSP Tprs. George Beal, Ray Frankoski, Walter Anderson and Ed Meier;
and Lt. William B. Fowler, the honor officer of the Bradenton Police Department.
Steve Harwick, a close friend and neighbor of Gourley’s, said that Paul had received a
special embossed birthday greeting from Noonan this past August at his 99th birthday celebration.
“Paul was very proud of the letter, sharing it at his birthday gathering with friends.
The PSP retirees’ birthday celebration was the highlight of his 99th year. Paul proudly wore
his PSP baseball cap and PSP logo, golf shirts he received from the Department and active
members.”
Members of the Troop B, Erie, Swanson FOP Lodge provided a memorial wreath at the November
service, which was placed in a park near Gourley’s home where the services were held. On
behalf of Gourley’s friends and neighbors, Harwick expressed appreciation to the Pennsylvania
State Police retirees living in Florida who came to mean so much to Paul.
The historical information regarding Paul was developed by Thomas Memmi. This information and the
earlier stories regarding Paul were provided by PCO Eric Johnson, Troop E, Erie.
Our thoughts and prayers are with the following and their family and friends:
By Thomas Memmi (Historian, PSP Museum)
Update on the Museum Project
Retired Major Matthew Hunt, vice president of PSP-HEMC, provided an update on the
museum project. He said that because it has taken longer than anticipated to obtain funding to
get the major museum project under way, the PSP-HEMC board members agreed to install an
interim Memorial Wall at the mini-museum at the rear of the State Police Academy. That
decision, he said, was made because it was felt that the active and retired personnel who
donated funds for a “memorial brick” have a right to see what the wall will look
like when it’s built. The board commissioned the interim wall to be made out of aluminum
panels. Several exhibits just inside the entrance to the mini-museum were removed and replaced
with the new wall showing the “memorial bricks” as they will eventually appear,
including names, dates of service and any particular information originally requested on the
applications. Hunt said board members David Bowser and Robert Einsel and retiree Roger
Davidson constructed the panels and did a tremendous job. Hunt made it clear that the aluminum
wall will not take the place of the Memorial Wall that is planned for Phase’ 1 of the
three-phase building plan. Monies donated for the finished, polished, black granite blocks
— which actually don’t look anything like a brick — will be used to purchase
the granite blocks to be placed in and! or near the chapel area in Phase 1. PSP-HEMC now has
the name of every person who contributed “brick” money listed on this interim wall.
As new donations are received, the new names will be added to this wall, which will be
expanded as needed.
Places and
Events to Explore...
Did You Know?...
PSP-HEMC HOURS
The Pa State Police H.E.M.C. Operations offices are in
Hershey, PA, 187 Police Academy Drive. Office hours may vary at times but generally,
you can reach us Monday thru Friday 8:00am to 5:30pm. Tour
Schedule
*Special Weekend Operational Hours &
Events...Click here
If you are traveling from a distance, call ahead!
(We are closed Saturdays, Sundays and for state holidays, and occasionally closed if out of town
doing a show).
Congratulations to Trooper Todd Bingman, winner of
the 2011 Gun Raffle
Todd Bingman is presented the award by Hemc President Bill
Regan,. Todd is pictured with his son, Thaddeus Bingman, age 4.
The
Pennsylvania State Police Historical, Educational and Memorial Center is looking for volunteers to
assist in conducting oral history interviews of individuals who have experienced or knowledge of
Pennsylvania State Police historical events.
