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Senate Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
Senate of Pennsylvania
Session of 2023 - 2024
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | September 7, 2023 02:47 PM |
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| From: | Senator Anthony H. Williams |
| To: | All Senate members |
| Subject: | Fanta’s Law- Quality Policing for All Delaware County Police Departments |
In the near future, I will be introducing, “Fanta’s Law” which provides for quality policing for all Delaware County police departments by requiring that all Delaware County police departments be accredited and receive annual use of force training. Fanta Bility was a young child, who was shot by a bullet fired by a police officer. At around 8:30 p.m. on August 27, 2021, families, students, children, and members of the Sharon Hill community were leaving the Academy Park High School football game when gunfire was heard in the area. As people were attempting to protect themselves and take cover, three on duty Sharon Hill Police Department (SHPD) officers responded to the gunfire. After arriving at the scene, each of the officers discharged their service weapons. In total, the officers fired twenty-five rounds in the direction of where they believed the initial gunfire had erupted, striking three civilians including Fanta Bility and her sister Mamasu. Fanta was transported to Mercy Fitzgerald Hospital where she was pronounced dead. Fanta was only eight years old at the time of her death. Investigation into the incident revealed two important findings that I seek to address in this legislation. The first finding indicated that the Sharon Hill Police Department was not accredited. The Sharon Hill Police Department is in sector four which includes, Lansdowne, Aldan, Clifton Heights, East Lansdowne, Yeadon, Darby Borough, Colwyn, Sharon Hill, Folcroft, Collingdale, and Darby Township, none of which are currently accredited. Contrast this with eleven (11) other Delaware County police departments which are accredited including, Eddystone, Radnor, Haverford, Nether Providence, Newtown, Marple, Springfield, the Delaware County Sheriff’s Department, Villanova University, Brookhaven, and Upper Darby. Having an accredited police department indicates that the department has put in place the best practices in serving the residents and enforcing the laws in its community. Every Delaware County resident and community deserves the best from its police force and the disparities that exists between Delaware County communities must be eliminated. The second important finding was that the shooting officers were not properly trained regarding the use of force. The investigation revealed that at least one of the shooting officers was new to the police force, lacking in experience. The investigation also revealed that the officers recklessly shot twenty-five times into the crowd that was exiting the stadium, killing Fanta Bility, injuring others, and putting many other lives at risk. Clearly, the officers did not implement the best practices while engaging in the use of deadly force on the day of the incident. My legislation would ensure quality policing for all Delaware County residents by requiring that all Delaware County police departments are accredited through a statewide organization such as the Pennsylvania Law Enforcement Program of the Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police Association and receive use of force training on an annual basis. The use of force training would provide all Delaware County police officers with additional education and training regarding how and when to use force in emergency situations. Implementing these important measures would serve to promote the following.
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