PRINTER'S NO. 383
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE BILL
No.
395
Session of
2021
INTRODUCED BY SCHWANK, FONTANA, SANTARSIERO, COSTA AND COMITTA,
MARCH 11, 2021
REFERRED TO LAW AND JUSTICE, MARCH 11, 2021
AN ACT
Amending Title 53 (Municipalities Generally) of the Pennsylvania
Consolidated Statutes, in employees, establishing the
Municipal Police Diversity Recruitment Program and Municipal
Police Diversity Recruitment Program Fund.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Title 53 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated
Statutes is amended by adding a section to read:
ยง 2172. Municipal Police Diversity Recruitment Program.
(a) Establishment of program.--The Municipal Police
Diversity Recruitment Program is established to recruit and
retain p olice officers who reflect a broader racial and ethnic
diversity for police departments of municipalities.
(b) Establishment of fund.--The Municipal Police Diversity
Recruitment Program Fund is established as a special nonlapsing
fund in the State Treasury. Money in the fund shall be expended
for the purposes set forth under this section.
(c) Administration.--The commission shall administer the
program and make grants from the fund to recruit and retain
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police officers for police departments of municipalities in
accordance with this section. The commission shall adopt
guidelines for municipalities to apply for grants under the
program and for the review and approval of the applications.
(d) Use of grants.--The grants under the program shall be
available to police departments of municipalities for the
purpose of hiring and retaining police officers who reflect a
broader racial and ethnic diversity. Grants may not exceed
$5,000 per police officer position within a police department
and shall be used for any of the following purposes:
(1) Recruitment incentives for minority candidates for
police officer positions, including police academy tuition
assistance, hiring bonuses and reimbursements for moving
expenses.
(2) Traditional and nontraditional marketing and
recruitment campaigns for police departments, including
cooperatives with schools, mentorships and internships.
(3) Participation by police officers in school or
community events in positive, nonenforcement settings,
including participation by talking one-on-one or through
school or community programs to encourage trust and helpful
relations between communities of color and police officers.
(e) Regulations.--The commission shall promulgate guidelines
to implement and administer the provisions of this section
within 90 days of the effective date of this section.
(f) Definitions.--As used in this section, the following
words and phrases shall have the meanings given to them in this
subsection unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Commission." The Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and
Delinquency.
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"Fund." The Municipal Police Diversity Recruitment Program
Fund established under subsection (b).
"Municipality." A city of the first class, second class,
second class A or third class, borough or township of the first
class or second class that provides local police services
through a municipal police department, participation in a
regional police department or contracts with any other municipal
or regional police department.
"Program." The Municipal Police Diversity Recruitment
Program under subsection (a).
Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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