(a) General rule.--All municipalities of this Commonwealth or groups of municipalities acting in concert and all colleges and universities shall be required to train all members of their police departments pursuant to this subchapter prior to their enforcing criminal laws, enforcing moving traffic violations under Title 75 (relating to vehicles) or being authorized to carry a firearm.
(b) Ineligibility for compensation.--Any person hired as a police officer shall be ineligible to receive any salary, compensation or other consideration for the performance of duties as a police officer unless the person has met all of the requirements as established by the commission and has been duly certified as having met those requirements by the commission.
(c) Penalty.--Any person who orders, authorizes or pays as salary to a person in violation of the provisions of this subchapter commits a summary offense and shall, upon conviction, be sentenced to pay a fine of $100 or be imprisoned for a term not to exceed a period of 30 days. The commission may stop payment of all funds paid or payable to municipalities under this subchapter for any violation of this subchapter. It shall notify the State Treasurer to discontinue disbursement of any State funds until a municipality is in compliance with this subchapter.
(d) Mandatory waiver request.--If a police officer is unable to attend in-service training due to service in the military or National Guard or as a result of injury sustained in service as a police officer, the officer's employer shall request a waiver under section 2164(6) (relating to powers and duties of commission). A police officer whose employer fails to request a waiver as required under this subsection shall not be decertified unless, upon return to service, the officer fails to participate in such in-service training as the commission deems appropriate in accordance with this chapter and 51 Pa.C.S. Ch. 75 (relating to professional and occupational licenses).
(Dec. 30, 2003, P.L.450, No.65, eff. 60 days; Oct. 9, 2008, P.L.1385, No.105, eff. 60 days)
2008 Amendment. Act 105 added subsec. (d).
2003 Amendment. Act 65 amended subsecs. (b) and (c). See section 4 of Act 65 in the appendix to this title for special provisions relating to applicability.
Structure Pennsylvania Consolidated & Unconsolidated Statutes
Pennsylvania Consolidated & Unconsolidated Statutes
Title 53 - MUNICIPALITIES GENERALLY
Section 2161 - Establishment of program and scope of subchapter
Section 2163 - Commission members
Section 2164 - Powers and duties of commission
Section 2165 - Meetings and quorum of commission
Section 2166 - Applicability to civil service laws
Section 2166.1 - Prohibition on political activity (Repealed)
Section 2167 - Police training
Section 2168 - Automatic certification
Section 2169 - In-service training by existing personnel
Section 2170 - Reimbursement of expenses
Section 2171 - Payment of certain county costs
Section 2172 - Canine training standards for police officers