Connecticut State Police

The Connecticut State Police (CSP) is a division of the Connecticut Department of Public Safety responsible for traffic regulation and law enforcement across the state of Connecticut, especially in areas not served by local police departments. The CSP currently has approximately 1,248 troopers, and is headquartered in Middletown, Connecticut. It is responsible for protecting the Governor of Connecticut, Lieutenant Governor of Connecticut, and their families.

History

The Connecticut State Police traces its history from May 29, 1903 when five men, paid three dollars a day, were hired to enforce state liquor and vice laws, making it one of the oldest State Police forces in the nation. It was originally composed of five officers primarily responsible for interdicting the production of moonshine. Early officers traveled the state by railroad until automobile and motorcycle patrols were instituted, and troopers would often spend five to six days working, eating, and sleeping in the barracks constructed around the state. By 1924, seven such barracks had been built. The organization was heavily militaristic, and its internal culture was similar in this regard to other state police agencies in New England.

The 1940s was perhaps the greatest period of development of the State Police, which under Commissioner Edward J. Hickey saw the formalization of identified patrol cars, the founding of a forensics lab and a training academy, the introduction of state police women,The...
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