PRINTER'S NO. 1822
No. 1349 Session of 2000
INTRODUCED BY WHITE, STAPLETON, PUNT, BELL, SLOCUM, LEMMOND,
MOWERY, RHOADES, CORMAN AND COSTA, MARCH 22, 2000
REFERRED TO TRANSPORTATION, MARCH 22, 2000
AN ACT
1 Amending the act of February 9, 1984 (P.L.3, No.2), entitled "An
2 act providing for the education and training of deputy
3 sheriffs; creating the Deputy Sheriffs' Education and
4 Training Board under the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and
5 Delinquency; providing for the powers and duties of the board
6 and the Attorney General; establishing the Deputy Sheriffs'
7 Education and Training Account; providing for a surcharge on
8 sheriffs' fees; and providing penalties," further providing
9 for continuing education and training.
10 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
11 hereby enacts as follows:
12 Section 1. Section 4 of the act of February 9, 1984 (P.L.3,
13 No.2), known as the Deputy Sheriffs' Education and Training Act,
14 is amended to read:
15 Section 4. Powers and duties of the board.
16 The board, with the review and approval of the commission,
17 shall:
18 (1) Establish, implement and administer the Deputy
19 Sheriffs' Education and Training Program according to the
20 minimum requirements set forth in this act.
21 (2) Establish, implement and administer requirements for
1 the minimum courses of study and training for deputy
2 sheriffs.
3 (2.1) Establish, implement and administer requirements
4 for the minimum courses of optional study and training under
5 section 7.1 for sheriffs and deputy sheriffs to enforce 75
6 Pa.C.S. (relating to vehicles).
7 (3) Establish, implement and administer requirements for
8 courses of study and in-service training for deputy sheriffs
9 appointed prior to the effective date of this act.
10 (4) Establish, implement and administer requirements for
11 a continuing education program for all deputy sheriffs
12 concerning subjects the board may deem necessary and
13 appropriate for the continued education and training of
14 deputy sheriffs.
15 (5) Approve or revoke the approval of any school which
16 may be utilized to comply with the educational and training
17 requirements of this act.
18 (6) Establish the minimum qualifications for instructors
19 and certify instructors.
20 (7) Consult and cooperate with universities, colleges,
21 law schools, community colleges and institutes for the
22 development of specialized courses for deputy sheriffs.
23 (8) Promote the most efficient and economical program
24 for deputy sheriff training by utilizing existing facilities,
25 programs and qualified State and local personnel.
26 (9) Certify deputy sheriffs who have satisfactorily
27 completed the basic education and training requirements of
28 this act and issue appropriate certificates to them.
29 (9.1) Certify sheriffs and deputy sheriffs who have
30 satisfactorily completed the optional education and training
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1 requirements under section 7.1 and issue appropriate
2 certificates to them.
3 (10) Make rules and regulations and perform other duties
4 as may be reasonably necessary or appropriate to administer
5 the education and training program for deputy sheriffs.
6 (11) Make an annual report to the Governor and to the
7 General Assembly concerning:
8 (i) The administration of the Deputy Sheriffs'
9 Education and Training Program.
10 (ii) The activities of the board.
11 (iii) The costs of the program.
12 Section 2. Section 6 of the act, amended January 29, 1998
13 (P.L.38, No.10), is amended to read:
14 Section 6. Continuing education.
15 (a) Biannual program.--The board, with the review and
16 approval of the commission, shall establish a continuing
17 education program for all deputy sheriffs, which shall include
18 not less than 20 hours of continuing education every two years,
19 concerning subjects the board may deem necessary and appropriate
20 for the continued education and training of deputy sheriffs.
21 (b) Other program.--The board, with the review and approval
22 of the commission, shall establish a continuing education
23 program for all sheriffs and deputy sheriffs certified as having
24 completed the optional education and training requirements under
25 section 7.1, which shall include not less than ten hours of
26 continuing education every two years concerning enforcement of
27 75 Pa.C.S. (relating to vehicles).
28 Section 3. The act is amended by adding a section to read:
29 Section 7.1. Optional Vehicle Code enforcement training.
30 (a) Enforcement training.--The Deputy Sheriffs' Education
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1 and Training Program shall include optional 75 Pa.C.S. (relating
2 to vehicles) enforcement training for the following:
3 (1) The sheriff of any county, other than a county of
4 the second class, who elects to participate in the training
5 established by this section.
6 (2) Any deputy sheriff of a county, other than a county
7 of the second class, ordered by the sheriff in that county to
8 participate in the training established by this section.
9 (b) Hours and training.--The board, with the review and
10 approval of the commission, shall establish the content and
11 hours of instruction to ensure that sheriffs and deputy sheriffs
12 receive training in 75 Pa.C.S. enforcement equivalent to the 75
13 Pa.C.S. enforcement training received by police officers under
14 53 Pa.C.S. Ch. 21 Subch. D (relating to municipal police
15 education and training).
16 (c) Prior requirement.--All sheriffs and deputy sheriffs who
17 have previously completed the training required of police
18 officers under 53 Pa.C.S. Ch. 21 Subch. D or the act of June 18,
19 1974 (P.L.359, No.120), known as the Municipal Police Education
20 and Training Law, shall be deemed to have satisfactorily
21 completed the optional 75 Pa.C.S. enforcement training
22 established by this section and shall only be required to meet
23 continuing education requirements established by the board under
24 section 6(b).
25 (d) Authority to enforce Vehicle Code.--
26 (1) Any sheriff or deputy sheriff who satisfactorily
27 completes the optional 75 Pa.C.S. enforcement training
28 established by this section is authorized to enforce 75
29 Pa.C.S. to the same extent and in the same manner as a police
30 officer certified under 53 Pa.C.S. Ch. 21 Subch. D.
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1 (2) Any sheriff or deputy sheriff who fails to meet and
2 fails to be certified as having met the requirements for
3 continuing education for optional 75 Pa.C.S. enforcement
4 training for sheriffs or deputy sheriffs established by the
5 board under section 6(b) shall be ineligible to enforce 75
6 Pa.C.S.
7 Section 4. Section 9 of the act is amended to read:
8 Section 9. Reimbursement to counties.
9 (1) The commission shall provide for reimbursement to
10 each county of 100% of the allowable tuition and the ordinary
11 and necessary living and travel expenses incurred by their
12 deputy sheriffs while attending certified deputy sheriffs'
13 basic training or continuing education schools if the county
14 adheres to the training standards set forth in this act and
15 established by the board with the review and approval of the
16 commission. The regular salary of deputy sheriffs while
17 attending approved schools shall be paid by the employing
18 county. Fifty percent of the regular salaries of deputy
19 sheriffs while attending approved schools shall be reimbursed
20 to the employing county.
21 (2) The commission shall provide for reimbursement to
22 each county of 100% of the allowable tuition and the ordinary
23 and necessary living and travel expenses incurred by its
24 sheriff or deputy sheriffs while attending optional 75
25 Pa.C.S. (relating to vehicles) enforcement training or
26 continuing education schools if the county adheres to the
27 training standards set forth in this act and established by
28 the board with the review and approval of the commission. The
29 regular salary of deputy sheriffs while attending approved
30 schools shall be paid by the employing county. Fifty percent
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1 of the regular salaries of deputy sheriffs while attending
2 approved schools shall be reimbursed to the employing county.
3 Section 5. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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