Pennsylvania State Police honor fallen troopers throughout 118-year history

HERSHEY, Pa. (WTAJ) — Troopers gathered at the Pennsylvania State Police Academy to honor fallen Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) officers while also highlighting the department’s 118th anniversary.

PSP honored the sacrifice of the department’s fallen members at the site of a monument dedicated to those members Saturday in Hershey. The names of all 103 members who died were read aloud during the ceremony.

Trooper Monty Mitchell, who served Troop C in DuBois, became the 103rd name added to the Memorial Wall. Trooper Mitchell died after suffering from a medical emergency while on duty on Feb. 8, 2021.

An online version of the Memorial Wall is available on the Pennsylvania State Police’s website.

Governor Josh Shapiro and First Lady Lori Shapiro also attended the event.

“Our fallen troopers make the ultimate sacrifice for Pennsylvania – and it’s important that we
take days like today to gather and honor their life in service – and to reaffirm that we never, ever forget,” Governor Shapiro said. “The men and women of the Pennsylvania State Police
go to work every single day to protect and serve our communities. Policing is a noble
profession, and now more than ever, we need to have the backs of our police. That’s why my
Administration is working to make historic investments in our State Police. I am committed to
ensuring our troopers and their families have the help and support they deserve from every
corner of our Commonwealth.”

The ceremony also included a moment of silence and a rifle salute.

“Each name engraved on the Memorial Wall is that of a member who gave their lives rather than swerve from the path of their duty,” said Colonel Christopher Paris, Commissioner of the Pennsylvania State Police. “Today, we remember the price they paid, as well as the sacrifice made by their families, to ensure their contributions are never forgotten.

The Pennsylvania State Police was created by legislation signed into law by Governor Samuel
W. Pennypacker on May 2, 1905, becoming the first uniformed police organization of its kind in
the United States.

While the department started with just 228 men, it has grown to have 4,740 enlisted men and women supported by more than 1,700 civilian employees, making it the 10 largest police agency in the country.