The law also requires training for police officers on trauma-informed care, use of deadly force, de-escalation and harm reduction techniques, community and cultural awareness, implicit bias, procedural justice, and reconciliation techniques.
The members of the Pennsylvania House and Senate unanimously passed House Bill 1841 and House Bill 1910 in response to the nationwide protests against police brutality. The protests were triggered by the death of George Floyd, an African-American who repeatedly said “I can’t breathe” when a white police officer was kneeling on his neck while he was handcuffed and lying face down.
“We’ve addressed criminal justice reform on a bipartisan basis, and that’s what we’ll need to fix these longstanding inequities,” Gov. Wolf said. “And as we go forward, we need to address the looming, systemic failings that have created this situation.”
Improving law enforcement and keeping Pennsylvanians safer
During the bill signing on Tuesday, Gov. Wolf said the new laws will improve law enforcement and keep Pennsylvanians safer. Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro joined Gov. Wolf at the signing.
