three service stripes Colonel: four service stripes Ranks, insignia, and descriptions, Etc Vehicles The department currently operates a mixed fleet of vehicles including the new law enforcement specific Ford Taurus, Ford Explorer, Crown Victorias and Dodge Charger, which are only used by Pennsylvania Turnpike Troopers. The PSP also owns and operates numerous helicopters and fixed wing aircraft. PSP operates watercraft mainly on the Delaware River and Lake Erie. Aviation The PSP Aviation Section consists of thirty-five trooper pilots and three full-time mechanics, using eight law enforcement specific Bell 407GX helicopters and six airplanes statewide. These aircraft are stationed in six aviation patrol units (APU). Weapons The Pennsylvania State Police utilizes the SIG Sauer P227 semiautomatic pistol chambered in .45 ACP as their service pistol. Other firearms include the Colt AR-15 (including the LE6920 and LE6940), 12-gauge shotguns (including the Remington 870 pump), and gas grenade launcher. The current less-lethal weapons the PSP is utilizing consist of Electroshock weapon technology, pepper spray (OC), and expandable ASP straight batons. Accreditation The Pennsylvania State Police is the largest internationally accredited law enforcement agency in the world. This distinction was awarded to the Pennsylvania State Police on July 31, 1993, by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA), an independent, non-profit organization based in Fairfax, Virginia. Accreditation is a process used by professional law enforcement agencies to facilitate the creation, verification and maintenance of high-quality policies and procedures, via voluntary compliance with performance standards. CALEA's 446 standards address nine major law enforcement topics: role, responsibilities, and relationships with other agencies; organization, management, and administration; personnel structure; personnel process; operations; operational support; traffic operations; prisoner and court-related services; and auxiliary and technical services. Members killed in the line of duty Key Superintendents and Commissioners since 1905 The following is a chronological listings of Commissioners of the Pennsylvania State Police: Traditions PSP Troopers are widely recognized for wearing the strap of their winter campaign hats under their chins, a tradition that goes back to the early 1900s, which was based on British and Irish Bobbies. The PSP is one of only a handful of state police agencies that do not wear badges on their uniforms. The PSP was nationally recognized as the premiere state police agency in the early years of the 20th century. State troopers from North Carolina and Kentucky attended the training academy so they could start PSP-style state agencies in their