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House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2019 - 2020
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | February 3, 2020 02:17 PM |
|---|---|
| From: | Representative P. Michael Sturla |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | Redirecting PSP Traffic Ticket Money for PSP Cadet Clases |
| You may know that the Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) provides free part-time and full-time patrol services to about half of the Commonwealth’s municipalities. What you may not know is that municipalities with populations of 3,000 or less that receive free local police coverage from PSP also receive a portion of the fine money when PSP issues tickets for vehicle violations. In 2018, this amounted to $1.1 million in “bonus checks” received by municipalities for work that was done by PSP in addition to getting taxpayer-subsidized police coverage. Meanwhile many municipalities across the state are struggling to maintain local police services in their own communities. 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 PSP writes a traffic ticket in the municipality. Money that would have been sent to municipalities under the current system, will be redirected to 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 PSP by providing additional money to help train more troopers that our Commonwealth desperately needs. |