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Pennsylvania State Senate
04/19/2024 11:13 AM
Pennsylvania State Senate
https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/Legis/CSM/showMemoPublic.cfm?chamber=S&SPick=20190&cosponId=27187
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Senate Co-Sponsorship Memoranda

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Senate of Pennsylvania
Session of 2019 - 2020 Regular Session

MEMORANDUM

Posted: December 26, 2018 10:58 AM
From: Senator Jay Costa
To: All Senate members
Subject: Initiatives to Improve Policing and Community Relations
 
In the wake of tragic officer-involved shootings across the Commonwealth and the nation, I am introducing legislation to address these situations. I believe it is important that the General Assembly consider legislation that provides improved training for police, on when to use force, particularly deadly force.

It is also important that our police receive additional training to promote better relations within the communities they police. Finally, we should make available enhanced mental health services to our police and community members. To this end, I am proposing legislation to do the following:
  • Develop a statewide database to permit transparency in the hiring of police officers. The database will include any disciplinary actions, misconduct or discriminatory policing complaints lodged against law enforcement personnel.
  • Require the Municipal Police Officers' Education and Training Commission (MPOETC) to include diversity instruction in their training curriculum.
  • Require MPOETC to include use-of-force and deescalation training in the annual police recertification training.
  • Direct psychological counseling for police officers who may be suffering from PTSD or other similar issues (MPOETC would develop a statewide standard).
Please join me in co-sponsoring this important legislation.

Introduced as SB458