State Police Commissioner Frank Noonan has promoted Edward C. Hoke of Norwegian Township, Schuylkill County, to captain and assigned him as commander of Troop N, Hazleton. The troop covers Carbon, Columbia and Monroe counties and the southern portion of Luzerne County.

Hoke, 50, most recently served as commander of the Patrol Section at Troop L, Reading.A native of Pottsville, Schuylkill County, Hoke enlisted in the State Police in 1987. Following his training at the State Police Academy in Hershey, he was assigned to Troop M, Fogelsville.As he progressed through the ranks, Hoke also served at stations in Frackville, Hazleton, Reading, Schuylkill Haven, Honesdale and Hamburg and with the Bureau of Technology Services and the Bureau of Criminal Investigation. He was promoted to corporal in 1993, to sergeant in 2002, and to lieutenant in 2006.Hoke attended Delaware Valley College and Penn State University Schuylkill Campus.He is married to the former Susan T. Schwartz, a native of Port Carbon, Schuylkill County. They have a son, Matthew, 20, and a daughter, Alyssa, 17.