Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus calls for comprehensive police accountability, reforms following conclusion of Quakertown investigation
Rep. Napoleon Nelson August 6, 2026 | 11:02 AM
HARRISBURG, Aug. 6 – The Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus, chaired by state Rep. Napoleon Nelson, acknowledged the completion of Bucks County District Attorney Joe Khan's independent investigation into the February 2026 incident involving Quakertown Police Chief Scott McElree and student protesters.
The PLBC will be joining the NAACP of Bucks County for a news conference at 10 a.m. Friday, Aug. 7 outside of the Bucks County Justice Center in Doylestown.
“We thank District Attorney Khan and his office for conducting an independent review and for providing transparency regarding the legal standards that guided the prosecutorial decision,” said Nelson, D-Montgomery. “While criminal charges were not filed, the investigation itself underscores why Pennsylvania must continue strengthening police accountability through legislative action.
“For some reason, police in Quakertown are still able to place the borough’s own residents in choke holds for everyday policing needs like traffic stops and keeping pedestrians on sidewalks. Years after Chief McElree was signatory to the adoption of best practices from the Bucks County Police Chiefs that would prohibit this exact behavior, that unified approach to policing has been ignored in Quakertown and, thus, has permitted the sort of violation of personal rights that every other Bucks County law enforcement professional has outlawed.
“For years, Black Caucus members have led efforts to improve policing in Pennsylvania by introducing legislation addressing the use of force, expanding body-worn camera requirements, establishing independent investigations of police use of deadly force, and increasing civilian oversight. The PLBC remains committed to advancing these reforms.
“The caucus calls on the General Assembly to pass a statewide use of force policy that would reflect much of the best practices laid out by the Bucks County Chiefs in 2020. It is also imperative that we modernize Pennsylvania's police misconduct database, strengthen independent review of serious use-of-force incidents, and pass long-standing accountability measures that have been introduced by members of the caucus and other legislators committed to justice and public safety.
"Independent investigations are essential, but they are only one piece of accountability," Nelson said. "Now is the time for the General Assembly to act by passing comprehensive police accountability legislation that promotes transparency, strengthens public trust, and ensures that communities and law enforcement alike benefit from clear, consistent standards across the commonwealth.
"Every Pennsylvanian deserves a police force that will keep us all safe and enforce law and order. Every Pennsylvanian should have confidence that allegations involving law enforcement misconduct will be investigated independently, tracked consistently across jurisdictions, and prosecuted without bias or favoritism."