PRINTER'S NO. 1441
No. 132 Session of 1997
INTRODUCED BY TANGRETTI, COLAIZZO, READSHAW, EACHUS, TRELLO,
MASLAND, BEBKO-JONES, SANTONI, MARKOSEK, MELIO, STETLER,
BELARDI, HALUSKA, GIGLIOTTI, STURLA, SCRIMENTI, WALKO,
ROONEY, HORSEY, LaGROTTA, SHANER, GORDNER, LAUGHLIN, BAKER,
PESCI, MUNDY, WOGAN, COY, HERSHEY, McCALL, TRICH, LYNCH,
E. Z. TAYLOR, YOUNGBLOOD, BOSCOLA, ITKIN, STABACK, CORPORA,
MIHALICH, TRAVAGLIO, STEELMAN, DeLUCA, MANDERINO, JOSEPHS,
ROSS, SAINATO, COLAFELLA, ORIE, SURRA, STERN, BENNINGHOFF,
BROWN, RAMOS, PETRARCA AND CURRY, APRIL 10, 1997
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON RULES, APRIL 10, 1997
A RESOLUTION
1 Providing for the appointment of a select committee to conduct a
2 systematic and comprehensive review of law enforcement
3 resources and requirements for the purposes of enhancing
4 public safety.
5 WHEREAS, The assurance of public safety is an essential
6 function of government necessary to the peaceful conduct of a
7 free society; and
8 WHEREAS, Neither the General Assembly nor the executive
9 branch has undertaken a comprehensive and systematic, Statewide
10 examination of this essential function; and
11 WHEREAS, The primary and major responsibilities for law
12 enforcement in this Commonwealth are entrusted to approximately
13 1,200 municipal police agencies of varying size and capabilities
14 and to the Pennsylvania State Police; and
15 WHEREAS, More than half the municipalities in this
1 Commonwealth are without their own law enforcement capabilities
2 due to limited resources; and
3 WHEREAS, The capabilities of existing police agencies, State
4 and municipal, are increasingly burdened by rising crime rates
5 and growing demand for law enforcement services and by rapidly
6 increasing costs for personnel, training, vehicles, structures
7 and equipment; and
8 WHEREAS, Technology to improve law enforcement services and
9 expand public safety protection is rapidly advancing, but its
10 availability is beyond access to many police agencies due to
11 cost considerations; and
12 WHEREAS, A review of law enforcement resources and
13 requirements is an appropriate and necessary adjunct to the
14 recent Special Session on Crime; and
15 WHEREAS, A proper evaluation of legislative proposals
16 relating to municipal fees for Pennsylvania State Police
17 services, increases in Pennsylvania State Police personnel,
18 consolidation of local police agencies, law enforcement aid to
19 financially distressed municipalities and other proposals
20 necessitates a systematic and strategic approach to these
21 issues; therefore be it
22 RESOLVED, That a select committee be appointed for the
23 purpose of studying and making recommendations and proposing
24 legislation to enhance and improve law enforcement capabilities
25 in this Commonwealth and to affirmatively assist local
26 municipalities in providing law enforcement services; and be it
27 further
28 RESOLVED, That the Speaker of the House of Representatives
29 appoint eight members and that the Minority Leader of the House
30 of Representatives appoint seven members to serve on the select
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1 committee; and be it further
2 RESOLVED, That the Speaker of the House of Representatives
3 appoint a chair and that the Minority Leader of the House of
4 Representatives appoint a minority chair of the select
5 committee; and be it further
6 RESOLVED, That the study include a review of current and
7 potential sources of State financial assistance to municipal
8 police agencies, incentives for regional and contractual law
9 enforcement arrangements, nature and cost of Pennsylvania State
10 Police services to all municipalities and ways to apportion
11 their costs to all recipients of those services, police training
12 programs, joint purchasing arrangements with Pennsylvania State
13 Police and other police agencies and other matters deemed by the
14 committee to be relevant; and be it further
15 RESOLVED, That the committee hold hearings, take testimony
16 and make its investigations at such places as it deems necessary
17 in this Commonwealth; and be it further
18 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives direct the Local
19 Government Commission to provide sufficient staff and other
20 administrative support to assist the committee in performing its
21 tasks; and be it further
22 RESOLVED, That the select committee submit a written report
23 containing its findings and recommendations, together with any
24 necessary legislation to the General Assembly by June 30, 1998.
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