TITLE
An Ordinance of the County of Allegheny, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, amending and supplementing the Allegheny County Code of Ordinances, Division 2, entitled "County Government Operations," by the creation of a new Chapter 280, entitled "Allegheny County Police Department", and authorizing the consolidation of the existing County, Port Authority and Housing Authority Police forces into a single law enforcement entity.
BODY
WHEREAS, Allegheny County currently maintains the Allegheny County Police, while the Allegheny County Port Authority and Allegheny County Housing Authority each maintain their own police forces; and
WHEREAS, although the Port Authority and Housing Authority police forces have limited jurisdictions, the County Police are specifically empowered to make arrests, serve and execute warrants throughout the County, and to perform the same functions as constables and police officers in cities of the first class on a countywide basis by 16 P.S. §4501(b);
WHEREAS, the Second Class County Code, 16 P.S. 4501 (a) specifically authorizes the creation of a County police force in Allegheny County; and
WHEREAS, although the Housing Authorities Law specifically authorizes the creation of Housing Authority Police forces in second class cities at 35 P.S. §1550(ee), and in first class cities at 35 P.S. §1550(ff), it does not appear to authorize the creation of such police forces in second class counties at all; and
WHEREAS, the Port Authority is specifically authorized to petition the Commonwealth for the appointment of railroad or street railway policemen at 22 P.S. §3301; and
WHEREAS, it appears that the consolidation of the Port Authority and Housing Authority Police forces, each of which requires its own equipment, uniform, maintenance, and other expenses, with the County Police, which could perform identical functions throughout the County, has the potential to have significant and favorable budgetary impacts for both the ...
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