A bill aimed at hiring campus police across state universities earned approval by the House Judiciary Committee on Tuesday.
According to a news release, House Bill 1988 would place campus police departments and campus police officers within the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) under the token of the Pennsylvania Municipals Police Officers’ Education, Training and Commission (MPOETC).
Additionally, it will ensure that recent and future reforms to laws impacting law enforcement apply to campus officers.
It would also allow campus officers to immediately be employed by a state system campus police force, rather than having to go through a “months-long process” of obtaining a commission from the governor via the PA Department of Education.
State Representative Jim Struzzi commended the men and women in law enforcement, saying “they should be applauded for the line of work they do and the related risks they are willing to take on.” He adds that part of doing the work includes ensuring they are trained “not just sufficiently, but in a timely manner so they can continue the work of making campuses, like Indiana University of Pennsylvania and its PASSHE counterparts more secure.”
The bill will now go to the full House for consideration.
