HARRISBURG, Pa. — After meeting with leaders in Philadelphia and Harrisburg, Governor Tom Wolf on Thursday announced several actions to improve law enforcement relations with the community and strengthen training and accountability.
“Today, I am taking steps to address concerns about community relations with law enforcement as well as strengthen accountability of our agencies,” Gov. Wolf said. “This effort will commence immediately.”
In response, the leader of the Pennsylvania State Troopers Association accused Wolf of comparing troopers in Pennsylvania with the police officers who were charged in the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, pointing to the governor's decision to march with protesters on Wednesday.
In a press briefing Thursday, Wolf outlined multiple actions directed at meaningful reforms, many based on the 21st Century Policing Task Force, created in 2015 under President Obama in response to the Ferguson, Mo., death of black teen Michael Brown that set off weeks of protests.
Highlights of the recommendations include:
- Creation of a Deputy Inspector General within the Pennsylvania Office of State Inspector General focused on deterring, detecting, preventing and eradicating fraud, waste, misconduct and abuse amongst law enforcement agencies under the Governor’s jurisdiction.
- Creation of a Pennsylvania State Law Enforcement Advisory Commission that reviews allegations of misconduct by law enforcement personnel under the governor’s jurisdiction.
- Providing technical assistance to municipalities from the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD) to encourage the creation of local citizen advisory boards.
- Creation of a Racial and Ethnic Disparities Subcommittee under the Criminal Justice Advisory Committee (CJAC) at PCCD.
- Reviewing Training and Education of Officers. All training academies for law enforcement must review current use of force training standards for law enforcement and form a workgroup to develop model training standards to ensure that all officers receive the best instruction in their interactions with the public. Departments should be striving to obtain state and or national accreditation. Accreditation is a key component in assisting departments in evaluation and improvement of their standards and practices.
- Enhancing Officer Safety and Wellness. Enhancing current mental health initiatives and offering targeted mental health supports for officers to deal with trauma and reduce stigma for getting help.
- Supporting Legislative Reforms. The governor will work with the legislature on reforms, including legislation proposed that provides for improved access to police videos, an oversight board for officer training and continuing education, a special prosecutor in deadly force cases, interdepartmental law enforcement hiring reform and PTSD evaluation for police officers.
RELATED: Governor Wolf marched with protesters demanding justice for George Floyd, an end to racial injustice
Earlier this week, Wolf said, members of the Police Reform Working Group, which includes state and local elected officials, the chief defender of the Defender Association of Philadelphia, as well as several attorneys, put forward proposals to address growing frustration with racism, oppression and rooting out law enforcement misconduct.
“We’ve addressed criminal justice reform on a bipartisan basis, and that’s what we’ll need to fix these longstanding inequities,” Wolf said. “And as we go forward, we need to address the looming, systemic failings that have created this situation.”
The governor also committed to addressing longstanding inequalities against people of color.
“I’m going to continue to fight for more education funding and for help for minority-owned businesses. These fights do not have an end point, and we won’t know when we’ve won, but we have to keep going to make our commonwealth fairer and more equal for everyone.”
In response to Wolf's statements, PSTA President David Kennedy accused the governor of maligning Pennsylvania's State Police troopers.
“What happened to George Floyd was horrific and wrong," Kennedy said in a statement emailed to the media. "There isn’t a single state trooper who disagrees. But what Gov. Wolf is saying today is the Pennsylvania State Police, and all law enforcement in our commonwealth, are no better than those charged with Mr. Floyd’s death. This was clear when he ignored his own order and marched in Harrisburg this week during a pandemic with people holding signs that read, ‘Blue Lives Murder.’
“So, here is a message to the people of Pennsylvania: Troopers go to work every day knowing they may not return home to our loved ones. This is a sacrifice we accept because we have sworn an oath to uphold the laws of the commonwealth and the United States, without any consideration of class, color, creed or condition. We live by this oath and are dedicated to protecting you, our fellow citizens, and the rule of law. And that will never change.”
The Police Reform Working Group, a collection of elected officials and advocates working to bring accountability and transparency reforms to law enforcement, released the following statement on Wolf’s adoption of their request for a state-level deputy inspector general aimed at improving law enforcement conduct:
“First and foremost, we’re incredibly appreciative that barely 48 hours after our announcement of much-needed reforms to improve how law enforcement interacts with our communities, Governor Wolf, Attorney General Shapiro and law enforcement groups around the state have heard our call and taken action and shown support.
“The creation of a deputy inspector general at the state level to root out misconduct, brutality, waste, fraud and abuse within law enforcement agencies is a key first step in this fight. With greater knowledge comes greater ability to protect our communities and ensure that the good members of law enforcement can do their job without having their reputation damaged by dishonest members of law enforcement.
“Furthermore, this level of support for the creation of a confidential database within the Attorney General’s office to track complaints against law enforcement officers to ensure pariah police with a checkered past can’t simply move from department to department is a massive step forward in public safety. This will protect all stakeholders by preventing municipalities from hiring a police officer with a history of misconduct. It will protect law enforcement members who honor their badge and duty from working with those with a history of racist or violent behavior. It will protect the community from inheriting police officers who have already been fired from another department for bad behavior. There is no downside to this.
“Over the past few days, the voices of all Pennsylvanians have been heard loud and clear. The long history of racial injustices black and brown communities have been subjected to must no longer stand. Our communities have had enough, and the time is now to demand action statewide to bring systematic change to Pennsylvania.
“While this is a major first step, it is just that: a first step. Completion of the reform plan we’ve outlined will be a long journey, but it is a journey that necessitates completion. We can’t move on from the injustices of the past that continue today without healing those wounds and creating a more equitable future. We look forward to continuing to work with all levels of government to ensure these reforms come to fruition.”
