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House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2021 - 2022
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | February 8, 2021 03:02 PM |
|---|---|
| From: | Representative P. Michael Sturla |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | Redirecting PSP Traffic Ticket Money to PSP Cadet Classes |
| The Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) provide part-time and full-time patrol services to about half of the Commonwealth’s municipalities, free of charge. What you may not know is that municipalities with populations of 3,000 or less that receive free local police coverage from the PSP also receive a portion of the fine money when the PSP issue tickets for vehicle violations. In 2018, this amounted to $1.1 million in “bonus checks” received by municipalities for work that was done by the PSP in addition to getting free taxpayer-subsidized police coverage. Meanwhile, many municipalities across the state are struggling to maintain local police services in their own communities and the PSP is struggling to fund cadet classes. That is why, in the near future I will be introducing legislation amending Title 42 (Judiciary and Judicial Procedure) to ensure only municipalities that provide at least 40 hours per week of local police coverage can be eligible for a portion of the fine money when the PSP writes a traffic ticket in the municipality. Money that would have been sent to municipalities under the current system, will be redirected to the PSP to help pay for cadet classes under this plan. As more and more municipalities disband their local forces and end patrol contracts with neighboring communities, our troopers are being tasked with more responsibilities—overstretching their resources and manpower. Please join me in supporting the PSP by providing additional money to help train more troopers that our Commonwealth desperately needs. |
Introduced as HB815