Hershey, Pa. — Nearly three years after breaking ground, the State Police and Department of General Services (DGS) have announced the completion of a new outdoor tactical training area for the PSP Academy.
“It is inspiring to see our vision of a state-of-the-art Academy coming to life that will provide our cadets now and for generations to come with cutting-edge resources and world-class training that best prepares them for policing in the 21st century,” said Lieutenant Colonel George L. Bivens, acting commissioner of the PSP. “This project is a long-term investment to help the brave women and men who choose to wear the uniform to protect Pennsylvanians while keeping themselves safe.”
The new tactical training area, called a Callout Village, consists of replica homes, a business, and a place of worship. Each structure will provide cadets and other law enforcement personnel with realistic environments to train for real-life situations that they are likely to face in the field. From neighbor disputes to active shooter situations, the Callout Village will allow cadets to gain hands-on experience responding to emergencies, learn from their mistakes, and develop best practices for handling highly stressful, dangerous, and intense situations well before they graduate and become state troopers…