PRINTER'S NO. 1355
No. 1201 Session of 1997
INTRODUCED BY O'BRIEN, CURRY, YOUNGBLOOD, CALTAGIRONE, KENNEY,
HENNESSEY, LEDERER, E. Z. TAYLOR, MELIO, TANGRETTI, WALKO,
SHANER, SERAFINI, BOSCOLA, STERN, BELFANTI AND RAMOS,
APRIL 8, 1997
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY, APRIL 8, 1997
AN ACT
1 Amending Title 53 (Municipalities Generally) of the Pennsylvania
2 Consolidated Statutes, further providing for municipal police
3 education and training.
4 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
5 hereby enacts as follows:
6 Section 1. The definitions of "police department" and
7 "police officer" in section 2162 of Title 53 of the Pennsylvania
8 Consolidated Statutes, added December 19, 1996 (P.L.1158,
9 No.177), are amended to read:
10 § 2162. Definitions.
11 The following words and phrases when used in this subchapter
12 shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
13 context clearly indicates otherwise:
14 * * *
15 "Police department." Any of the following:
16 (1) A public agency of a political subdivision having
17 general police powers and charged with making arrests in
1 connection with the enforcement of the criminal or traffic
2 laws. This paragraph includes the sheriff's office in a
3 county of the second class.
4 (2) A campus police or university police department, as
5 used in section 2416 of the act of April 9, 1929 (P.L.177,
6 No.175), known as The Administrative Code of 1929, certified
7 by the Office of Attorney General as a criminal justice
8 agency under the definition of "criminal justice agency" in
9 18 Pa.C.S. § 9102 (relating to definitions). This paragraph
10 does not include a campus police or university police
11 department of the State System of Higher Education and its
12 member institutions.
13 (3) Any railroad or street railway police department
14 formed with officers commissioned under 22 Pa.C.S. Ch. 33
15 (relating to railroad and street railway police), or any
16 prior statute providing for such commissioning.
17 "Police officer." Any full-time or part-time employee of a
18 city, borough, town, township, railroad or street railway
19 police, campus police or university police or county police
20 department assigned to criminal or traffic law enforcement
21 duties; any deputy sheriff of a county of the second class; and,
22 for the purpose of training only, security officers of a first
23 class city housing authority. The term excludes persons employed
24 to check parking meters or to perform only administrative duties
25 and auxiliary and fire police.
26 * * *
27 Section 2. Sections 2168 and 2170 of Title 53, added
28 December 19, 1996 (P.L.1158, No.177), are amended by adding
29 subsections to read:
30 § 2168. Automatic certification.
19970H1201B1355 - 2 -
1 * * *
2 (d) Railroad and street railway police.--Any railroad and
3 street railway police officer who, as of the effective date of
4 this subsection, has successfully completed a basic training
5 course similar to that required under this chapter shall, after
6 review by the commission, be certified as having met the basic
7 requirements of this chapter. Any railroad and street railway
8 police officer who, as of the effective date of this subsection,
9 has not successfully completed a basic training course similar
10 to that required under this chapter which qualifies the police
11 officer for certification shall be able to perform the duties of
12 a railroad and street railway police officer until certified by
13 the commission, but no longer than one year from the effective
14 date of this subsection.
15 § 2170. Reimbursement of expenses.
16 * * *
17 (f) Railroad and street railway police.--The commission
18 shall provide for reimbursement to each railroad and street
19 railway police department of 100% allowable tuition and the
20 ordinary and necessary living and travel expenses incurred by
21 their police officers while attending certified municipal police
22 basic training schools, providing the railroad and street
23 railway police department adheres to the training standards
24 established by the commission. The commission shall require
25 written documentation of all expenses incurred by railroad and
26 street railway police departments relating to the training of
27 police officers for the purposes of reimbursement by the
28 commission. All railroad and street railway police departments
29 shall annually audit these funds as part of their annual audit
30 and submit a copy of the audit to the commission. Failure to
19970H1201B1355 - 3 -
1 perform the audit and submit a copy of it to the commission
2 shall render the railroad and street railway police department
3 in violation of this chapter.
4 Section 3. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
C6L53DGS/19970H1201B1355 - 4 -