Pennsylvania State Police

Pennsylvania State Police
The Pennsylvania State Police was created and signed into law by Governor Samuel W. Pennypacker on May 2, 1905. The department became the first uniformed police organization of its kind in the United States and a model for other state police agencies throughout the nation. Opposition to the department's creation was strong and persistent. Because of the fear, mostly by organized labor, that the State Police would be used as a private army, the original complement was limited by law to only 228 men. They were to patrol Pennsylvania's entire 45,000 square miles. The force was divided into four Troops across the state. By 1919, the demand for additional State Police units brought about the first increase in complement, authorizing a maximum force of 415 men. That same year saw the transfer of State Fire Marshal duties to the State Police. Also in 1919, the State Police established motorcycle patrols to deal with the growing number of motorists. The State Highway Patrol was created in 1923 within the Department of Highways to enforce the vehicle laws of Pennsylvania's burgeoning highway system. In 1927, the Superintendent established the first two State Highway Patrol Troops. They were Troop A, Harrisburg, and Troop B, Greensburg. that year also saw the First State Highway Patrolman killed in the line of duty. In 1935, Troop F, Franklin, became the sixth and last Troop to be established by the Highway Patrol before the merger with the State Police on June 29, 1937. The new department was called the Pennsylvania Motor Police. In February 1938, the Commissioner ordered 267 passenger cars painted white with black hoods and Pennsylvania Motor Police lettering on the door. These cars became known as Ghost Cars. On April 28, 1943, the Pennsylvania Motor Police became the Pennsylvania State Police. In 1956, the title "Trooper" commenced. On September 1, 1961, the State Police officially began radar speed checks. In 1963, the PSP permitted married men to apply to the Force for the first time. In August of 1989, after a 50-year hiatus, the Department returned to patrolling the state's highways on motorcycles. Twelve Harley Davidson motorcycles were assigned to Bethlehem, Harrisburg, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh to respond to accidents along heavily traveled highways. The program was designed to help restore traffic on major, densely traveled highways, where conventional vehicles could not respond quickly. On July 31, 1993, The Pennsylvania State Police became the largest accredited police agency in the world. In order to gain accredited status from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, the department had to comply with 733 professional police standards.
Pennsylvania State Flag Pennsylvania's State Flag is more of a square than a rectangle. It is composed of a blue field on which the State Coat of Arms is embroidered. Draft horses are on either side of the coat of arms and the American eagle rests on the top. The scroll at the bottom reads Virtue, Liberty and Independence. The first state flag bearing the state coat of arms was authorized by the general assembly in 1799. An act of the generalassembly of June 13, 1907, standardized the flag and required that the blue field match the blue of "Old Glory".
1929 issue- Although the PSP and the Pennsylvania Highway Patrol and later, the Pennsylvania Motor Patrol used primarily passenger plates with no particular number sequence, some photographs from the 1930's have shown police/patrol vehicles with OFFICIAL license plates affixed. Picture courtesy of Bill Ceravola	We are looking for a picture showing this type plate on duty.... *Can you help us?*
1933 issue- Although the PSP and the Pennsylvania Highway Patrol and later, the Pennsylvania Motor Patrol used primarily passenger plates with no particular number sequence, some photographs from the 1930's have shown police/patrol vehicles with OFFICIAL license plates affixed. Plate courtesy of the Robert Ward Collection	We are looking for a picture showing this type plate on duty.... *Can you help us?*
1936 issue- Approx. 6" x 15" embossed steel. Pennsylvania State Highway Patrol. Earliest known PA plate with title:"OFFICIAL USE ONLY"	We are looking for a picture showing this type plate on duty.... *Can you help us?*
*1938 issue* *Official Use Plate* Plate courtesy of the Robert Ward Collection	Click picture for a larger image
1940 issue. Reserved number bloc passenger plate of five numerals only for PSP use during that era.	We are looking for a picture showing this type plate on duty.... *Can you help us?*
1941 issue. Reserved number bloc passenger plate of five numerals only for PSP use during that era.	We are looking for a picture showing this type plate on duty.... *Can you help us?*
1942 issue. Reserved number bloc passenger plate of five numerals only for PSP use during that era.	We are looking for a picture showing this type plate on duty.... *Can you help us?*
1947 issue. Reserved number bloc passenger plate of five numerals only for PSP use during that era.	We are looking for a picture showing this type plate on duty.... *Can you help us?*
1948 issue. Reserved number bloc passenger plate of five numerals only for PSP use during that era.	We are looking for a picture showing this type plate on duty.... *Can you help us?*
1949 issue. Reserved number bloc passenger plate of five numerals only for PSP use during that era.	We are looking for a picture showing this type plate on duty.... *Can you help us?*
1950 issue. Reserved number bloc passenger plate of five numerals only for PSP use during that era.	We are looking for a picture showing this type plate on duty.... *Can you help us?*
1951 issue. Reserved number bloc passenger plate of five numerals only for PSP use during that era.	We are looking for a picture showing this type plate on duty.... *Can you help us?*
1952 issue. Reserved number bloc passenger plate of five numerals only for PSP use during that era.	We are looking for a picture showing this type plate on duty.... *Can you help us?*
1953 issue. Reserved number bloc passenger plate of five numerals only for PSP use during that era. Plate courtesy of the Robert Ward Collection	We are looking for a picture showing this type plate on duty.... *Can you help us?*
1954 issue. Reserved number bloc passenger plate of five numerals only for PSP use during that era.	We are looking for a picture showing this type plate on duty.... *Can you help us?*
1955-1956 issue. Reserved number bloc passenger plate of five numerals only for PSP use during that era. Courtesy of Jeffrey Gyurke Collection See Jeffrey's website that pays tribute to his late father PSP Cpl. William P, Gyurke (296), and uncle, PSP Tpr. Stephen R. Gyurke (606) who was killed on duty in 1958, http://members.bellatlantic.net/~jgyurke/dad.htm	We are looking for a picture showing this type plate on duty.... *Can you help us?*
1956 issue. Reserved number bloc passenger plate of five numerals only for PSP use during that era.	We are looking for a picture showing this type plate on duty.... *Can you help us?*
*1957-1965 issue- Commonwealth plate- Early steel version with thick pre-1957 dies. No reserved number bloc for PSP*	We are looking for a picture showing this type plate on duty.... *Can you help us?*
1957-1965 issue- Commonwealth plate- Aluminum version. No reserved number bloc for PSP. Plates run into 1966 as cars eventually miled-out.	We are looking for a picture showing this type plate on duty.... *Can you help us?*
1965-1971 issue- Commonwealth plate. Small Keystone separator. No reserved number bloc for PSP	We are looking for a picture showing this type plate on duty.... *Can you help us?*
1968-1971 issue- Commonwealth plate. Small Keystone separator. 5 digit numbers began. Red Permanent validation decal to cover debossed "68" in sticker navel. No reserved number bloc for PSP	We are looking for a picture showing this type plate on duty.... *Can you help us?*
1971-1977 issue- Commonwealth plate. Small keystone separator. No reserved number bloc for PSP	We are looking for a picture showing this type plate on duty.... *Can you help us?*
1977- 1984 issue- Commonwealth plate. Dash separator. No reserved number bloc for PSP	Picture courtesy of Jay Weinstein
*1984-Current issue- Commonwealth plate. Dash separator. PA in prefix position. No reserved number bloc for PSP*	Photo Courtesy of Monty McCord
1984-Current issue- Commonwealth plate. Dash separator. PA in suffix position (unsure what year the switch took place). No reserved number bloc for PSP	Picture courtesy of Jay Weinstein
1965 issue- Front plate. Debate as to whether or not PSP used these as front plates during the 1960's or not, but hey: it looks cool.	We are looking for a picture showing this type plate on duty.... *Can you help us?*
1960's issue- Front plate. Debate as to whether or not PSP used these as front plates during the 1960's or not, but hey: it looks cool. Plate courtesy of the John Yeaw Collection	We are looking for a picture showing this type plate on duty.... *Can you help us?*
1972-1975 issue- Front plate only. Characters are reflective. Used on front of new yellow and blue PSP cruisers introduced in the Spring of 1972. Blue and white PSP cars were introduced in Spring of 1974 and these plates were phased out along with the cars of the matching colors. By 1975, the last yellow-and-blues were off the road.	Click picture for a larger image
1972-1975 issue- Front plate only. Larger font version believed to have been released towards 1975. Characters are reflective. Used on front of new yellow and blue PSP cruisers introduced in the Spring of 1972. Blue and white PSP cars were introduced in Spring of 1974 and these plates were phased out along with the cars of the matching colors. By 1975, the last yellow-and-blues were off the road. Picture courtesy of Bill Ceravola
1984-Current issue- Commonwealth sample plate. One of a kind. This plate was made "special order" for me in 2001 with the assistance of the head of the PSP Fleet Section in Harrisburg. As Commonwealth plates do not expire, departmental policy forbade a "professional courtesy" to send me a regular PSP plate for my collection. As my contact felt bad for not being able to land me a current PSP plate, he pulled some strings for me at the DMV and had this sample plate made for me to have a "legal" current PSP plate in my collection. There are some good people out there!
Current Issue Community Services Unit Plate
The PA State Police use regular issue cycle plates for their Motor Unit Picture courtesy of Bill Ceravola
Dash Plate - circa 1950's to early 1960's Courtesy of Jeffrey Gyurke Collection	We are looking for a picture showing this type plate on duty.... *Can you help us?*
*1968 issue- Front plate only. Flat painted.* Not Official Issue Plate courtesy of the Robert Ward Collection
Unknown date. Guessed as 1960's issue. Personal issue "booster".
Circa late 1950's/early 1960's retiree courtesy plate. Blue on white embossed steel. Picture courtesy of the Pennsylvania State Police Historical Society Visit them by clicking here!
Pennsylvania State Police Association booster plate. Promotional item.
Circa 2000 "booster" plate. Embossed thin aluminum