December 21, 2025
Doral Chenoweth/Imagn Images
Col. Christopher Paris, left, will leave the Pennsylvania State Police on Jan. 2 to join the FBI. Lt. Col. George Bivens, who led the Eric Frein and Danilo Cavalcante manhunts, will be acting commissioner. Paris is shown above with Gov. Josh Shapiro at a press conference following the assassination attempt of President Donald Trump in Butler in July 2024.
The commonwealth will soon have a new leader at the Pennsylvania State Police after Col. Christopher Paris leaves for a new position with the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Paris' last day as commissioner will be Jan. 2, 2026, marking the end of a 26-year career with the state police. He was nominated by Gov. Josh Shapiro on Jan. 19, 2023, and unanimously confirmed by the state Senate almost two months later.
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"I would like to thank Gov. Shapiro for the confidence he placed in me to serve in this role during his Administration," said Paris in a statement. "It has been an honor to lead the dedicated men and women of the Pennsylvania State Police, and I am proud of the work we've done together. Serving the people of Pennsylvania in this capacity has been one of the greatest privileges of my career."
During Paris' tenure, the agency received enough funding for 12 cadet classes, with 550 cadets graduating and joining the ranks of the state police. The latest state budget boosted the law enforcement agency's $1.5 billion budget by $69.3 million, enough to fund three additional classes.
An accompanying release reports, without citation, that violent crime decreased statewide by 12%, homicides fell by 34% and fatal gun violence went down by 42% while Paris was commissioner. There are 1,279 municipalities without police departments in the commonwealth that rely solely on troopers for their law enforcement needs.
"Col. Paris has served the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania with the utmost integrity and distinction for 26 years, leading one of the largest police agencies in the nation while strengthening accountability and improving public trust. Col. Paris has overseen some of the most difficult investigations, cases, manhunts, and events – and his leadership has helped ensure the Pennsylvania State Police remains the finest law enforcement agency in the nation. I am grateful for his service," said Shapiro.
The agency's deputy commissioner of operations, Lt. Col. George Bivens will become acting commissioner on Dec. 31, 2025.
"Lieutenant Colonel Bivens is a seasoned, respected leader with decades of experience who will step in and lead the State Police with steadiness and resolve, ensuring the agency does not miss a beat," Shapiro said.
Bivens joined the state police in 1985, leading the 2014 manhunt for convicted murderer Eric Frein and overseeing thesearch for convicted murderer Danilo Cavalcante, who escaped from the Chester County jail in 2023.
He has also received a Medal of Commendation related to a 1998 confrontation with Ku Klux Klan members in Somerset County in which another trooper was threatened by Klan members observing "White Pride Day."
"I am honored to serve as acting commissioner of the Pennsylvania State Police and I appreciate the confidence the Governor has placed in me," said Bivens. "I look forward to working with the dedicated men and women of PSP to continue our mission of keeping Pennsylvania communities safe, supporting our troopers, and ensuring that the Commonwealth remains a model for effective and accountable law enforcement."
Bivens will need to get the nod from the state Senate in the upcoming year to have the interim label removed and remain commissioner.
Pennsylvania Capital-Star is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Pennsylvania Capital-Star maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Tim Lambert for questions: info@penncapital-star.com.
