The Pennsylvania State Police on Friday marked a major milestone in the modernization of its Hershey training academy with the unveiling of a new, state-of-the-art horse stable, the first completed building in a sweeping, multi-year campus overhaul.
The 21,000-square-foot stable is part of a $387.8 million construction project aimed at upgrading the academy’s aging facilities and strengthening training for future state troopers. Built to house up to 30 horses, the structure replaces outdated accommodations and is designed to improve both animal welfare and training operations for the agency’s Tactical Mounted Section.
Each stall provides expanded space that allows horses to move, turn and rest comfortably. The facility also includes access to more than 50 acres of newly developed pastureland surrounding the academy, much of which is visible from East Hersheypark Drive and reflects the State Police’s long-standing mounted tradition.
Mounted troopers play a key role in public safety operations, particularly during large-scale events where visibility and crowd management are critical. The Tactical Mounted Section is frequently deployed to sporting events, concerts and major public gatherings across the state. In 2025 alone, the unit received 239 requests for service and was on track to complete 159 details by the start of 2026, including deployments at Penn State football games and the Philadelphia Eagles’ Super Bowl victory celebration. The horses also appear regularly at community events such as the Pennsylvania Farm Show, where they serve as a public outreach tool.
The stable’s completion comes roughly two years into the academy reconstruction project, which began in December 2023. Several major buildings are still under construction, including a five-story Marquee Building scheduled for completion in 2026. That facility will house classrooms, administrative offices, a cafeteria and 300 individual dormitory rooms for cadets, with State Police planning to move in next fall.
The broader academy project aligns with state efforts to expand and strengthen law enforcement staffing and training. The 2025–26 state budget provides funding for four cadet classes, and more than 550 cadets have graduated and joined the State Police since Governor Josh Shapiro took office. Additional funding has supported municipal police recruitment and retention efforts statewide.
Other planned facilities on the 146-acre campus include a physical education center, a new headquarters for the Bureau of Emergency and Special Operations, and multiple tactical training villages designed to simulate high-risk incidents such as active-shooter and hostage scenarios.
Despite the extensive construction, the academy has remained fully operational throughout the project. The State Police have trained cadets at the Hershey site continuously since 1960, even as older structures were demolished to make way for modern facilities.
Source: pa.gov