Course offering high school students insight on a career with state police expands to Westmoreland County

A new Pennsylvania State Police 14-week program for high school students is expanding into Westmoreland County this fall.

Trooper Clint Long, who works in the recruiting services section, said the free program will help teens ages 15 to 18 understand the role of the agency and its troopers, as well as promote self development and achieving goals.

“The kids that participate will be setting the foundation” for future sessions of the program, which will continue in the spring and fall, he said.

The Hill Impact Program started at the state police academy in Hershey in the spring and now is expanding to Westmoreland County with an intent of replicating it around the state. The group will meet every Thursday from 5:30-8 p.m. and four Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. starting Sept. 15 and ending Dec. 15 at the state police Southwest Training Center in Unity off Route 30.

Participants will learn about police work and be introduced to the training, physical fitness and education needed to become a trooper as well as the hiring process and different types of jobs within the agency. Long said the program can benefit teens outside of police work through personal development and skills needed for job interviews.

The registration deadline is Aug. 1 though Long said anyone interested should sign up quickly as the class size will be capped at a maximum of 50 participants.

“We want everyone, but especially those that are not sure want they want to do with their lives,” he said. “We can use this as an opportunity to open their eyes.”

The program is more in-depth than the week long Camp Cadet events held by troops around the state for children ages 12 to 15. The first The Hill Impact Program session in Hershey earlier this year had 60 participants.

“We actually had to turn a lot of kids away,” Long said. “This is more something where you can grow and develop through.”

Creating the program will also establish a pipeline for potential recruits, he said.

In the last three cadet classes, 253 troopers have joined the department between August and May; 177 cadets are in training. As of July 1, the agency has 4,624 troopers, which fluctuates because of retirements, and is authorized to have 4,730.

Anyone interested in signing up for the program can contact Trooper Abby Blazavich at 717-614-7971 or ra-sprecruiter-trp-a@pa.gov to get an application.