Philadelphia House Delegation: police accountability reforms are coming

Philadelphia County Delegation    June 30, 2020 | 6:53 PM

HARRISBURG, June 30 – Today, state Rep. Jason Dawkins, D-Phila., and chairman of the Philadelphia Delegation, announced that two police reform bills passed the Senate and sent to the governor’s desk for his signature.

 

“It has been a group effort passing meaningful reforms to help better equip law enforcement to handle the mental and physical pressures of the job,” Dawkins said. “I am grateful to my colleagues in the House and everyone on the Police Reform Working Group for their tireless work organizing effective protests and championing these important bills.”

House Bill 1910 would require officers to receive training to recognize the signs of child abuse and childhood trauma. It includes an amendment containing Dawkins’ own legislation that would require officers to undergo PTSD training after incidents involving deadly force. It also would allow commanding officers to request tests as needed, and the bill would call for increased training for officers to better understand PTSD.

House Bill 1841 would require employers to disclose employment information to a law enforcement agency that is conducting a background investigation of an applicant, and to permit a court to compel the release of such employment information if the employer fails to comply. It also would  free the applicant’s previous employers from civil liability for sharing employment information in good faith with a police department looking to hire a new officer. It also would require law enforcement agencies to keep detailed personnel records that include all substantiated criminal, civil and ethics complaints, as well as the reason and circumstances surrounding the separation of each officer.