HARRISBURG – Today, the Pennsylvania State Troopers Association formally joined the coalition formed by Attorney General Shapiro to end the practice of law enforcement agencies unknowingly hiring officers with documented patterns of excessive use of force or other misconduct.
“The Pennsylvania State Troopers Association supported a statewide registry from the beginning and we couldn’t have formed such a strong statewide coalition without their help,” said Attorney General Shapiro. “PSTA was a vital part of our early discussions with lawmakers in 2019 and I commend them for being a constructive partner moving this key reform forward.”
“The PSTA thanks Attorney General Shapiro for his leadership in conducting this important work and ensuring law enforcement has a seat at the table. State Troopers enforce the law without any consideration of class, color, creed or condition. We continue to believe the Pennsylvania State Police has some of the most robust accountability measures in America, but these conversations are important. We have long supported a statewide registry so our department can ensure it only hires people who are worthy of being a Pennsylvania State Trooper. We look forward to being part of this effort.”
The group consists of: the Pennsylvania State Troopers Association, Philadelphia Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw, Pittsburgh Police Chief Scott Schubert, FOP Lodge 5 President John McNesby, President of the Pennsylvania State Lodge FOP Les Neri, Pennsylvania District Attorneys Association, and leaders in the Chiefs of Police Abington Chief of Police Patrick Molloy and Peters Township Chief of Police Douglas Grimes.
The group states, “Officers who engage in misconduct or use excessive force erode trust in law enforcement and make it harder for our communities to be and feel safe. When they leave an agency, or retire in lieu of termination, that record needs to go with them. We stand united in calling for reform of the hiring process so that law enforcement agencies have the information to make informed decisions about the personnel they hire.”
This group is supporting legislation to accomplish this reform, versions of which have already been introduced in both the House and Senate by Rep. Chris Rabb and Sen. Jay Costa, respectively.
Interdepartmental police hiring reform has been called for by experts and grassroots community groups as well as the State Legislature Police Reform Working Group, and has recently been introduced at the federal level.
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