Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf signed a pair of bills into law to strengthen police accountability and training as well as to improve its relations with the community.
House Bill 1841 requires a law enforcement agency to disclose the previous employment records of applicants, who must also undergo a comprehensive background check.
Additionally, House Bill 1841 authorizes the establishment of an electronic database containing the separation records of police officers. The Municipal Police Officers’ Training and Education Training Commission (MPOTEC) will be responsible for keeping and maintaining the database.
Furthermore, the law also requires a law enforcement agency to complete a hiring report explaining its rationale for its decision to hire an individual whose separation records include a judicial finding of dishonesty, coercion of a false confession, discrimination, domestic violence, excessive force, filing a false report, harassment, sexual abuse or misconduct, and theft.
House Bill 1910 requires law enforcement officers to undergo mental health evaluations with a focus on PTSD to continue their employment. A law enforcement officer or a police chief may request the evaluation within 30 days of an incident of the use of a deadly force.
