page_title: Pennsylvania State Police
section_title: Traditions
hierarchical_section_title: Pennsylvania State Police / Traditions
caption_attribution_description: English: Title: Pennsylvania constabulary, mounted on horses, at McKee's Rock Abstract/medium: 1 negative&#160;: glass&#160;; 5 x 7 in. or smaller.
context_page_description: The Pennsylvania State Police is the state police agency of Pennsylvania, responsible for statewide law enforcement. The Pennsylvania State Police is a full-service law enforcement agency which handles both traffic and criminal law enforcement. The Pennsylvania State Police was founded in 1905 by order of Governor Samuel Pennypacker, by signing Senate Bill 278 on May 2, 1905. The bill was signed in response to the Great Anthracite Strike of 1902. Leading up to the Anthracite Strike, private police forces were used by mine and mill owners to stop worker strikes. The inability or refusal of local police or sheriffs' offices to enforce the law, directly influenced the signing of Bill 278. The Anthracite Strike lasted from May 15 to October 23, 1902 and ended with the help of Theodore Roosevelt, the sitting president at the time.
context_section_description: PSP Troopers are widely recognized for wearing the strap of their winter campaign hats under their chins, a tradition that goes back to the early 1900s, which was based on British and Irish Bobbies.
  The PSP is one of only a handful of state police agencies that do not wear badges on their uniforms.
  The PSP was nationally recognized as the premiere state police agency in the early years of the 20th century. State troopers from North Carolina and Kentucky attended the training academy so they could start PSP-style state agencies in their respective states. NC trooper cadets at the academy in Raleigh and KY trooper cadets in Frankfort are frequently reminded they have a familial connection to the PSP through their training process history.
  The PSP was patterned after a military organization and PSP troopers have sometimes been referred to as "Soldiers of the Law and Order". Divisions of the force are called "troops", and officers are known as "troopers", a title usually reserved for members of the United States Cavalry, and reminiscent of the early beginnings of the department when officers patrolled on horseback. Regional headquarters, at which single troopers were once required to live, are referred to as "barracks". The original concept was that the troopers did not apply to join the PSP but "enlisted" for two-year periods, after which they could be honorably discharged or apply for reenlistment.  The longstanding two-year enlistment periods were phased out in 1961.
  Married men were initially barred from becoming state troopers. After 1927, troopers were allowed to marry after they had completed their first two-year enlistment if they had approval from the police superintendent. The PSP allowed married men to enlist in 1963.
  PSP does not allow ride-alongs. Even state police cadets cannot "ride-along" prior to graduating the academy. This is done for numerous safety and liability reasons.
caption: Pennsylvania Constabulary
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