MOTION OF THE COUNCIL OF ALLEGHENY COUNTY
Expressing the Sense of Council of Allegheny County and urging the General Assembly to enact the provisions of Senate Bill 1340, introduced by Senator Randy Vulakovich and House Bill 1272, introduced by Representative Harry Readshaw, enabling municipal police to use the same motor vehicle speed timing equipment as the Pennsylvania State Police, with all deliberate speed.
WHEREAS, public protection is a principal reason why municipalities are established and exist; and
WHEREAS, municipal police and the Pennsylvania State Police are statutorily authorized to protect the public, primarily through the enforcement of the Crimes Code and Motor Vehicle Code; and
WHEREAS, all of the tools of law enforcement available to the Pennsylvania State Police are also available to municipal police, with one notable exception, that being RADAR; and
WHEREAS, Pennsylvania is the only state in the United States of America that gives its municipal police a law enforcement mandate and then prohibits them from using a common an defective piece of speed timing equipment that the Pennsylvania State Police are permitted to use; and
WHEREAS, the inability of municipal police to use RADAR has resulted in uneven enforcement of the maximum speed laws across Pennsylvania and uniform enforcement will result in safer driving practices amongst drivers throughout the Commonwealth;
NOW THEREFORE, IT IS MOVED, THAT THE COUNCIL OF ALLEGHENY COUNTY,
That the General Assembly is hereby urged to enact the provisions of Senate Bill 1340 and House Bill 1272, enabling municipal police to use the same motor vehicle speed timing equipment as the Pennsylvania State Police, with all deliberate speed.
PRIMARY SPONSOR: COUNCIL MEMBER KRESS
CO-SPONSOR(S): COUNCIL MEMBER(S) BAKER, PALMIERE