Share:
House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2017 - 2018
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | January 9, 2017 09:29 AM |
|---|---|
| From: | Representative P. Michael Sturla |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | Redirecting PSP Traffic Ticket Money for PSP Cadet Classes |
| 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 realize is that the same municipalities that receive free local police coverage from PSP also receive a portion of the fine money when PSP issues tickets for vehicle violations in municipalities that have 3,000 people or less, While many municipalities across the state struggle to maintain local police services in their own communities, other municipalities are getting tax-payer subsidized police coverage, and what I feel is essentially a “bonus check” for work that is done by PSP. 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. The coverage may be provided by the municipality’s own local or regional police force, or the municipality may contract with another municipal or regional force for services. My legislation would direct any fine money that is not paid to municipalities would be reserved for PSP cadet classes. As more and more municipalities disband their local forces and end patrol contracts with neighboring communities, our troopers are being tasked with more responsibilities, but with diminishing resources and manpower. In fact, at this writing, PSP is short staffed by nearly 500 troopers. My legislation helps PSP by providing additional money to help train more troopers that our Commonwealth desperately needs. Please offer your support to our troopers by joining me in co-sponsorship. |
Introduced as HB1058