The number of people submitting applications to the State Police cadet academy is up sharply.
Applicants are no longer required to have 60 college credits.
The result? Almost half of the 297 people who applied in the two days after the policy change don't have the credits.
That's a good thing, as cadet applications have been decreasing, the number of troopers eligible for retirement has been increasing.
Without college credits becoming a trooper is still challenging.
Prospects must pass a qualifying exam, polygraph test, background check and physical, medical and psychological evaluations.
Ending the college requirement is part of Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro’s plan to increase the number of police on the force.
“Policing is noble profession, and this is the finest law enforcement agency in the nation.
We need to show those who want to serve that this door of opportunity is open – and we want you on our team,” said Shapiro late last month. “Our State Police Academy trains highly capable public servants who work hard to make our communities safer. Our Administration has worked to emphasize skills and experience in Commonwealth hiring practices, and now the PSP have dropped the college credit requirement for state troopers to empower those who want to serve their community and open even more doors for Pennsylvanians to chart their own course and succeed.”