{{Short description|American law enforcement official}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Tyree Blocker | caption = Tyree Blocker in 2015 | office = Pennsylvania State Police | order = 21st Commissioner of the | image =Tyree_C._Blocker.jpg | birth_date = {{birth date|1952|8|29}} | birth_place = Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. | education = West Chester University of Pennsylvania | governor = Tom Wolf | successor = Robert Evanchick | predecessor = Frank Noonan | death_date = {{death date and age|2024|3|2|1952|8|29}} | death_place = Pennsylvania, U.S. | spouse = Janice L. Blocker | children = 3 | status = | term_start = 3 August 2015 | term_end = 23 March 2018 | profession = Law enforcement }}
'''Tyree Cedric Blocker''' (August 29, 1952{{spnd}}March 2, 2024) was a law enforcement official who rose in the ranks of the Pennsylvania State Police serving as commissioner from 2015 until his retirement in 2018.<ref>{{Cite web |title=PSP-HEMC-Pennsylvania State Police History 3 |url=https://www.psp-hemc.org/history/psp3.html |access-date=2024-03-08 |website=www.psp-hemc.org}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Inc |first=Longwood Funeral Home & Cremation of Matthew Genereux |title=Obituary for Col. Tyree C. Blocker (Ret.) {{!}} Longwood Funeral Home & Cremation of Matthew Genereux, Inc. |url=https://www.longwoodfuneralhome.com/obituary/ColTyree-CBlockerRet |access-date=2024-03-08 |website=Obituary for Col. Tyree C. Blocker (Ret.) {{!}} Longwood Funeral Home & Cremation of Matthew Genereux, Inc. |language=en}}</ref>
Blocker began his career with the state police as a trooper in 1973 serving in troops F, L and J.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.pennlive.com/politics/2017/02/pa_state_police_reviewing_cade.html|title=State police commissioner: 'There was an awful lot of complacency at the academy'|last=McKelvey|first=Wallace|date=2017-02-03|website=pennlive|language=en|access-date=2019-11-28}}</ref> In 1985 Blocker received his first promotion to Trooper first class while at troop L. In 1987 Blocker was again promoted to corporal and three years later to sergeant.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.pennlive.com/politics/2017/02/pennsylvania_state_police.html|title=What happens when a town drops its local police? PSP Col. Tyree Blocker explains|last=McKelvey|first=Wallace|date=2017-02-24|website=pennlive|language=en|access-date=2019-11-28}}</ref> In 1992 he was then promoted to lieutenant and a year later to captain.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://fox43.com/tag/tyree-blocker/|title=Tyree Blocker|website=WPMT FOX43|language=en|access-date=2019-11-28}}</ref> In 1996 he was promoted to major overseeing Section III (Delaware Valley area of Pennsylvania). In 2005 Blocker left the state police and was a senior adviser to the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service then later adviser to the minister of national security for the Trinidad and Tobago government. In 2014 Blocker returned to the United States.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://lancasteronline.com/news/local/state-police-commissioner-nominee-tyree-blocker-headed-lancaster-based-troop/article_87fc8b38-3a32-11e5-99c5-cb7e847c20ea.html|title=State police commissioner nominee Tyree Blocker headed Lancaster-based troop|last=Writer|first=By TIM STUHLDREHER {{!}} Staff|website=LancasterOnline|language=en|access-date=2019-11-28}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://wpsu.psu.edu/retired-major-picked-to-run-pa-state-police/|title=Retired Major Picked to Run Pa. State Police|website=wpsu.psu.edu|language=en-US|access-date=2019-11-28}}</ref>
In the summer of 2015 Blocker was nominated by governor Tom Wolf to oversee the state's police force. Blocker's nomination passed the Pennsylvania House of Representatives then the Pennsylvania State Senate and on August 3, 2015, Blocker was appointed as the 21st Commissioner of the Pennsylvania State Police.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.mcall.com/news/pennsylvania/mc-nws-wolf-state-police-evanchick-20180322-story.html|title=Wolf names new Pennsylvania State Police commissioner|last=Esack|first=Steve|website=mcall.com|access-date=2019-11-28}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.wesa.fm/post/evanchick-confirmed-head-pennsylvania-state-police|title=Evanchick Confirmed To Head Up Pennsylvania State Police|agency=Associated Press|website=www.wesa.fm|language=en|access-date=2019-11-28}}</ref>
== See also ==
* List of Pennsylvania State Police commissioners and superintendents
== References == {{Reflist}}
{{PSPCommissioners}} {{Wolf cabinet}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Blocker, Tyree}} Category:Living people Category:1953 births Category:Pennsylvania State Police Category:State cabinet secretaries of Pennsylvania Category:African-American state cabinet secretaries Category:American state police officers Category:Trinidad and Tobago Police Service