PRINTER'S NO.  4022

  

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

  

HOUSE BILL

 

No.

2585

Session of

2010

  

  

INTRODUCED BY BELFANTI, PHILLIPS, GOODMAN, MAHONEY, BAKER, CAUSER, D. COSTA, COX, DALEY, J. EVANS, EVERETT, FABRIZIO, FAIRCHILD, GIBBONS, GROVE, HARKINS, HARRIS, HORNAMAN, KIRKLAND, KULA, MARSHALL, MATZIE, MICOZZIE, MILLER, MILNE, MOUL, MURT, PICKETT, PRESTON, RAPP, REED, ROAE, SANTONI, SCAVELLO, SOLOBAY, STABACK, STEVENSON, THOMAS, YOUNGBLOOD, METCALFE, GEORGE AND MILLARD, JUNE 29, 2010

  

  

REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON LABOR RELATIONS, JUNE 29, 2010  

  

  

  

AN ACT

  

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Amending Titles 18 (Crimes and Offenses), 42 (Judiciary and

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Judicial Procedure) and 53 (Municipalities Generally) of the

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Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, further providing for

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definitions; providing for county sheriffs and deputy

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sheriffs; and repealing related provisions of the Second

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Class County Code.

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The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

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hereby enacts as follows:

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Section 1.  The definition of "police officer" in section 103

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of Title 18 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes is amended

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to read:

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§ 103.  Definitions.

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Subject to additional definitions contained in subsequent

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provisions of this title which are applicable to specific

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provisions of this part, the following words and phrases when

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used in this title shall have, unless the context clearly

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indicates otherwise, the meanings given to them in this section:

 


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* * *

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"Police officer."  The term shall include the sheriff of a

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county of the second class, second class A, third class, fourth

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class, fifth class, sixth class, seventh class or eighth class 

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and a deputy [sheriffs] sheriff of a county of the second class,

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second class A, third class, fourth class, fifth class, sixth

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class, seventh class or eighth class who [have] has successfully

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completed the requirements under the act of June 18, 1974

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(P.L.359, No.120), referred to as the Municipal Police Education

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and Training Law, or the act of February 9, 1984 (P.L.3, No.2),

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known as the Deputy Sheriffs' Education and Training Act.

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* * *

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Section 2.  The definitions of "chief law enforcement

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officer" and "municipal police officer" in section 8951 of Title

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42 are amended to read:

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§ 8951.  Definitions.

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The following words and phrases when used in this subchapter

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shall have, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the

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meanings given to them in this section:

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"Chief law enforcement officer."  The head of a duly

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constituted municipal law enforcement agency which regularly

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provides primary police services to a political subdivision or,

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in the absence of any such municipal law enforcement agency, the

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commanding officer of the Pennsylvania State Police installation

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which regularly provides primary police services to the

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political subdivision or, in the case of any occurrence or event

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that takes place on real property owned or leased by a county

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government, including, but not limited to, a county correctional

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facility, courthouse or park, the sheriff of the county.

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"Municipal police officer."  Any natural person who is

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properly employed by a municipality, including a home rule

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municipality, as a regular full-time or part-time police officer

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or a certified sheriff or deputy sheriff.

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* * *

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Section 3.  Section 8954 of Title 42 is amended to read:

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§ 8954.  Noncompliance with mandatory certification

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requirements.

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Any person employed as a municipal police officer who is

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subject to the mandatory certification requirements of the

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training law and fails to obtain the required certification from

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the Commissioner of the Pennsylvania State Police or the

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executive director of the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and

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Delinquency within the time limits provided by law shall cease

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to be empowered or authorized to function as a municipal police

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officer for any purpose whatsoever.

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Section 4.  Subchapter A heading of Chapter 21 of Title 53 is

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amended to read:

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Subchapter A

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[(Reserved)]

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County Officers and Employees

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Section 5.  Title 53 is amended by adding sections to read:

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§ 2111.  Office of Sheriff.

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(a)  Qualifications.--On or after January 1, 2010, a person

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shall not be eligible to be a candidate for the Office of

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Sheriff and a person shall not be elected or appointed to the

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Office of Sheriff unless that person meets the following

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qualifications:

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(1)  Is a citizen of the United States.

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(2)  Has been a resident of the county for at least one

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year.

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(3)  Has not been convicted of an offense graded higher

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than a misdemeanor of the third degree.

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(4)  Is at least 18 years of age.

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(b)  Educational requirements.--

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(1)  Except as otherwise provided in this subchapter, any

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person first elected to the Office of Sheriff on or after

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January 1, 2010, shall have completed a recognized law

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enforcement management/administration program including, but

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not limited to, the National Sheriffs' Institute training

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course. In the event the individual elected as sheriff has

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not completed the National Sheriffs' Institute's or a similar

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course, the individual shall within the first term of office

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successfully complete the National Sheriffs' Institute

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training course administered by the National Sheriffs'

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Association.

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(2)    (i)  A sheriff who has successfully completed

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training under Subchapter D (relating to municipal police

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education and training) or the act of February 9, 1984

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(P.L.3, No.2), known as the Deputy Sheriffs' Education

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and Training Act, or Pennsylvania State Police training

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shall be eligible to perform all duties authorized by

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law.

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(ii)  A sheriff who has not completed training in

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accordance with this section shall serve in an

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administrative capacity and eligible only to complete

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administrative functions unless or until such training is

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completed. A sheriff who completes administrative

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functions and serves in an administrative capacity shall

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only provide administrative function including, but not

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limited to, planning, organizing, staffing and directing

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of the office of sheriff, and may not perform law

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enforcement functions as authorized by law.

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§ 2112.  Deputies and clerks.

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(a)  General rule.--The sheriff of each county may appoint

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such deputies and clerks as may be necessary to properly

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transact business of the office. The sheriff may hire, discharge

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and supervise the deputies and clerks in accordance with law.

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The number of deputies and clerks shall be determined by the

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county salary board.

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(b)  Educational requirements.--A deputy appointed on or

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after January 1, 2010, shall have successfully completed the

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standards and training in accordance with Subchapter D (relating

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to municipal police education and training) or the act of

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February 9, 1984 (P.L.3, No.2), known as the Deputy Sheriffs'

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Education and Training Act, if they are substantially equal to

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the standards and training under Subchapter D.

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(c)  Hiring procedure.--A deputy shall be hired by the

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sheriff utilizing the same process as the county district

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attorney for the employment of county detectives.

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(d)  Rights.--Except where prohibited by law, deputy sheriffs

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shall be subject to the act of July 23, 1970 (P.L.563, No.195),

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known as the Public Employe Relations Act, in the same manner

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and receive the same rights as units of guards at prisons or

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mental hospitals or units of employees directly involved with

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and necessary to the function of the courts in this

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Commonwealth. The rights shall include, but not be limited to,

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the right to a separate homogeneous bargaining unit.

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§ 2113.  Powers and duties of sheriff and deputy sheriff.

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(a)  General rule.--A sheriff and deputy sheriff shall

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perform and possess all authority and powers to perform all

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duties required of a police officer, sheriff or deputy sheriff

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or law enforcement official in accordance with the following

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laws:

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(1)  Title 18 (relating to crimes and offenses) of the

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Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes.

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(2)  Title 75 (relating to vehicles) of the Pennsylvania

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Consolidated Statutes.

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(3)  Dealer licensing under the act of February 24, 1984

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(P.L.92, No.17), referred to as the Precious Metal Sale

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Regulation Law.

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(4)  Issuing firearms licenses and investigating and

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enforcing the laws relating to violations and performing all

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duties required by 18 Pa.C.S. Ch. 61 (relating to firearms

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and other dangerous articles).

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(5)    Conduct investigations under 3 Pa.C.S. Ch. 23

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(relating to domestic animals).

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(6)  Remove at the expense of the owner all stocks of

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consumer fireworks or display fireworks or combustibles sold

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or stored in violation of the act of May 15, 1939 (P.L.134,

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No.65), referred to as the Fireworks Law.

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(7)  Make arrests and perform all duties required of the

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sheriff by 23 Pa.C.S. Ch. 61 (relating to protection from

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abuse).

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(8)  Seize all guns used or possessed in violation of the

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laws of this Commonwealth.

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(9)  Enforce the act of July 10, 1981 (P.L.214, No.67),

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known as the Bingo Law.

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(b)  Execution of process, writs and orders.--The sheriff

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shall either personally or by deputy, execute all process, writs

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and orders issued or made by lawful authority and delivered to

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the sheriff.

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(c)  Jurisdiction.--

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(1)  The sheriff shall have primary jurisdiction within

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all courthouses of the county and other county-owned or

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leased buildings, properties and facilities including

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properties owned or leased by county agencies and, as such,

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shall enforce good order in county courthouses, or other

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grounds and buildings owned or leased by the county or within

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500 feet of county-owned or leased property and upon the

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sidewalks, roads, streets and parking areas within such area.

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(2)  The sheriff shall safeguard and have law

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enforcement, investigation and arrest authority in county

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courthouses, in county-owned or leased buildings and with

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respect to all other county or county agency property.

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(d)  School resource officers.--A sheriff may serve as a

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school resource officer.

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(e)    Assistance to other law enforcement officials.--A

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sheriff may assist the Attorney General of the Commonwealth, the

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county district attorney and other law enforcement officials in

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the enforcement of the laws of this Commonwealth, including, but

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not limited to, participation in the following:

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(1)  Terrorism task forces.

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(2)  Attorney General or District Attorney drug task

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forces.

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(3)  Joint task forces in association with other Federal,

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State and local law enforcement agencies.

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(f)    Search and rescue operations.--A sheriff may search and

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rescue persons who are lost or are in danger of their lives

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within or in the immediate vicinity of the county.

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(g)  Municipal police powers.--A sheriff may exercise the

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authority and power provided to municipal police officers by 42

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Pa.C.S. Ch. 89, Subch. D (relating to municipal police

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jurisdiction).

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(h)  Cooperative agreements.--A sheriff may enter into

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cooperative law enforcement police service agreements under 42

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Pa.C.S. § 8953(e) (relating to Statewide municipal police

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jurisdiction) with other municipalities for purposes of,

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including, but not limited to, describing conditions of mutual

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aid, assigning liability and determining appropriate costs of

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these cooperative efforts with the approval of the board of

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county commissioners or the county council in home rule

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counties.

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(i)  Other duties.--A sheriff shall perform all other duties

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required of the sheriff by law or lawfully by a court of this

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Commonwealth.

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§ 2114.  Construction.

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Nothing in this subchapter shall be construed to abolish or

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supplant an existing police department or law enforcement agency

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or eliminate, supplant, reduce or displace the employment of any

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municipal police chief or officer.

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Section 6.  The definition of "police officer" in section

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2162 of Title 53 is amended to read:

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§ 2162.  Definitions.

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The following words and phrases when used in this subchapter

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shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the

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context clearly indicates otherwise:

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* * *

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"Police officer."  Any of the following:

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(1)  A full-time or part-time employee assigned to

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criminal or traffic law enforcement duties of any of the

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following:

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(i)  A police department of a county, city, borough,

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town or township.

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(ii)  Any railroad or street railway police.

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(iii)  Any campus or university police department.

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(iv)  The Capitol Police.

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(v)  The Harrisburg International Airport Police.

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(vi)  An airport authority police department.

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(2)  A sheriff or deputy sheriff of a county [of the

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second class].

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(3)  A security officer of a first class city housing

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authority or a police officer of a second class city housing

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authority.

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The term excludes persons employed to check parking meters or to

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perform only administrative duties and auxiliary and fire

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police.

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* * *

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Section 7.  Section 2163(a)(3) of Title 53 is amended to

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read:

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§ 2163.  Commission members.

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(a)  Selection.--The commission shall be composed of 20

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members as follows:

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* * *

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(3)  The following members shall be appointed by the

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Governor.

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(i)  A borough official, a first class township

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official, a second class township official and a city

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official.

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(ii)  Four incumbent chiefs of police from the

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various municipalities of this Commonwealth, at least one

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to be a chief of a borough police department, at least

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one to be a chief of a township police department and at

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least one to be a chief of a city police department.

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(iii)  One Federal Bureau of Investigation special

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agent-in-charge.

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(iv)  One educator qualified in the field of law

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enforcement.

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(v)  One member representing the public at large.

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(vi)  Two noncommissioned police officers.

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(vii)  A director of one of the certified training

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schools.

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(viii)  Two sheriffs.

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(ix)  Two deputy sheriffs.

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* * *

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Section 8.  Repeals are as follows:

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(1)  The General Assembly finds that the repeals in

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paragraphs (2) and (3) are necessary to effectuate this act.

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(2)  Article XII of the act of July 28, 1953 (P.L.723,

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No.230), known as the Second Class County Code, to the extent

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of any inconsistency with this act.

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(3)  Any act or part of an act is repealed to the extent

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of any inconsistency with this act.

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Section 9.  This act shall take effect in 60 days.

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