Governor Selects Chester County Man As New Pennsylvania State Police Commissioner

Just a week after visiting Phoenixville and other locations in Montgomery and Chester Counties, Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf has selected a man with local ties to head the Pennsylvania State Police.

Tyree Blocker, a Chester County resident, has 30 years of experience with the state police, working as a trooper and eventually gaining the rank of major before his 2005 retirement, Wolf said in a statement Monday.

Blocker will first need to be confirmed by the Pennsylvania State Senate before assuming the post of acting commissioner.

“Major Blocker’s diverse experience with the Pennsylvania State Police, starting as a trooper and working his way up to major, gave him the opportunity to work in operations across the agency,” Wolf said in the statement. “Major Blocker has deep knowledge in the areas of patrol and criminal investigation as well as staff services and administration. He also brings tremendous leadership capabilities and a history of working collaboratively with law enforcement officials at all levels.”

The Republican-majority Senate rejected Wolf’s nomination of Marcus Brown in June.

Tensions between Wolf and the state Republicans is at an all-time high as Republicans rejected Wolf’s budget and Wolf in turn vetoed their edited plan.

It is not clear how the Senate will vote on Blocker’s nomination.

Blocker, who lives in New London Township, has served through George Mason University as a technical adviser for the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service, as well as minister of national security for the Trinidad and Tobago government.

Blocker is the former president of Silver Seals Consulting and currently owns Future Gem Fitness Corporation