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.
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