State police tell Appropriations panel they need more troopers, forensic capacity and money for special responses

At a House Appropriations Committee hearing, senior Pennsylvania State Police officials described staffing shortfalls, new forensic capacity and rising costs tied to special emergency response operations while answering lawmakers’ questions about proposed budget items and policy changes.

Commissioner Colonel Paris told the committee the force has increased diversity from a low point in 2016 and now counts 408 members from underrepresented groups, but acknowledged the agency remains short of recruitment goals. "It is certainly not where we want to be," Paris said.

Lawmakers pressed the command staff about vacancies and the agency’s ability to respond across the Commonwealth. "As we sit here today, there are 248 vacancies," Paris said, distinguishing that figure from a larger statutory complement cap of 4,841. He said the department counts 219 vacancies against the legislative complement cap. Lieutenant Colonel George Bivens added that various leave types and limited-duty hours have the effect of removing the work-equivalent of roughly 98 full-time troopers, and additional leave policies could increase personnel pressure.

Committee members also probed the growth and cost of CERT, the state police’s tactical response team. Lieutenant Colonel Bivens said…