PRINTER'S NO. 3334
No. 2219 Session of 2008
INTRODUCED BY MARSHALL, PYLE, ARGALL, BELFANTI, BOYD, CAPPELLI, CAUSER, FAIRCHILD, GODSHALL, GRELL, HELM, HENNESSEY, MAHONEY, MANN, MENSCH, O'NEILL, PETRONE, READSHAW, REICHLEY, SIPTROTH, STERN, SWANGER, THOMAS, WALKO AND MOYER, MARCH 10, 2008
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY, MARCH 10, 2008
AN ACT 1 Establishing a grant program for law enforcement drug and 2 violence task forces; and providing for the powers and duties 3 of the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency. 4 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania 5 hereby enacts as follows: 6 Section 1. Short title. 7 This act shall be known and may be cited as the Law 8 Enforcement Drug and Violence Task Forces Act. 9 Section 2. Definitions. 10 The following words and phrases when used in this act shall 11 have the meanings given to them in this section unless the 12 context clearly indicates otherwise: 13 "Commission." The Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and 14 Delinquency. 15 "Law enforcement drug and violence task force" or "task 16 force." A portion of a law enforcement agency or police 17 department that is dedicated to the purpose set forth in section
1 3(a). 2 "Program." The Law Enforcement Drug and Violence Task Force 3 Grant Program established under section 4. 4 Section 3. Law enforcement drug and violence task force. 5 (a) Purpose.--A law enforcement drug and violence task force 6 shall have as its purpose a comprehensive crime-fighting effort 7 in a designated geographical area to remove violent felons, 8 illegal drugs, illegal firearms and other criminal activity and 9 to improve the quality of life for residents of the geographical 10 area. 11 (b) Operation of task force.--A law enforcement drug and 12 violence task force shall be assigned and deployed as a specific 13 unit within a police department to address in a coordinated 14 fashion the problems in a designated high-crime geographical 15 area in order to clear that area of illegal drugs, illegal 16 firearms and other criminal activity. The task force shall focus 17 its operation on high-crime days and during high-crime times of 18 the day or night. 19 (c) Quality of life.--In addition to making arrests for 20 criminal activity, a task force shall address quality of life 21 issues by reporting to appropriate authorities or correcting on 22 its own situations or conditions that contribute to criminal 23 activity, including, but not limited to, abandoned buildings and 24 vehicles, broken windows and doors, vacant and trash-strewn 25 properties and broken street lights. 26 (d) Length of time of operation.--A task force may target a 27 designated geographical area within a political subdivision for 28 a specific length of time and then redeploy to another 29 designated high-crime area within the political subdivision. 30 Section 4. Powers and duties of commission. 20080H2219B3334 - 2 -
1 (a) Program established.--The Law Enforcement Drug and 2 Violence Task Force Grant Program is hereby established. The 3 commission shall administer the program and shall develop an 4 application procedure for the program. Multiple political 5 subdivisions may apply jointly for a grant and jointly establish 6 and operate one or more task forces. 7 (b) Grants.-- 8 (1) The commission shall award grants to political 9 subdivisions that apply to the commission for funds to assist 10 in establishing and operating task forces. 11 (2) The commission shall base the number of grants on 12 the amount of funds appropriated by the Federal or State 13 Government and other funds available for the purposes of this 14 act. 15 (3) The amount of a specific grant shall be based on 16 information required by the commission and provided by the 17 political subdivision specifying the costs directly related 18 to establishing and maintaining a task force. 19 (c) Use of grants.-- 20 (1) A political subdivision may use a grant awarded 21 under this act for equipment and supplies, personnel and 22 training and any other costs directly related to establishing 23 and operating a task force. 24 (2) A task force must be established as a separate unit 25 within a police department. 26 (d) Monitoring and reporting.-- 27 (1) The commission shall monitor a political 28 subdivision's use of any grants awarded under this act and 29 may require an accounting of the use of the funds. 30 (2) The commission shall annually report to the 20080H2219B3334 - 3 -
1 Judiciary Committee of the Senate and the Judiciary Committee 2 of the House of Representatives on the program. The report 3 shall include the number and the amount of the grants 4 awarded, the political subdivisions receiving the grants and 5 any other relevant information. 6 Section 5. Effective date. 7 This act shall take effect in 60 days. A29L71BIL/20080H2219B3334 - 4 -