After military service in the United States Army as a noncommissioned officer, Jay joined the Pennsylvania State Police in 2001. He worked in patrol and the criminal investigation units at the beginning of his career and joined the Special Emergency Response Team (SERT) in 2006. As an operator in the tactical community, he advanced to team leader after five years and presently assists in coordination of SERT for the eastern half of Pennsylvania. For over a decade, Jay has overseen and developed the Pennsylvania State Police Active Shooter Response training program—developing and implementing lesson plans, and instructing cadets, troopers, and local departments statewide. He has instructed various tactical operations courses from explosive breaching to tactical combat casualty care to crisis management and PTSD.
Jay has served for 18 years with the SERT team and conducted well over a thousand high risk entries and operations. He has supervised and operated in multiple successful manhunts with federal, state, and local entities. Jay earned the Pennsylvania State Police Medal of Honor for his service at the Nickel Mines Amish School Shooting (2006) and, more recently, the District Attorney’s Medal of Valor (2022) for entry on a successful hostage rescue operation.
Jay completed his master’s degree in English from Millersville University in 2014.
