Municipal News

Last Updated on Monday, 02 May 2016 01:09

The elected officials of West Newton Borough have adopted a resolution in support of Senate Bill 1340 and House Bill 1272. Either bill, when enacted, would authorize municipal police to use the speed-timing device known as radar, whenever they are enforcing the maximum speed laws for motor vehicles under Pennsylvania's Motor Vehicle Code.

Radar is the only piece of law enforcement equipment that is authorized for use by the Pennsylvania State Police but not Pennsylvania's municipal police. Pennsylvania is the only state in our nation to prohibit its municipal police from using radar.

The resolution was drafted by the Radar Coalition, which consists of: the Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police Association, the Pennsylvania Municipal League, the Pennsylvania State Association of Boroughs, the Pennsylvania State Association of Township Commissioners, the Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors and the Pennsylvania State Mayors’ Association.

Questions regarding this resolution and the benefit of the enactment of either of these bills upon our community may be directed to Mayor Mary Popovich at 724-872-3537 or mayor@wnpolice.com.

For information regarding the Radar Coalition, you may contact any of these spokespersons:

Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police Association
Contact person: Dane Merryman, Executive Director
Telephone #: (717) 236-1058
Email Address: dmerryman@pachiefs.org

Pennsylvania Municipal League
Contact person: Amy Sturges, Director of Governmental Affairs
Telephone #: (717) 236-9469
Email Address: asturges@pamunicipalleague.org

Pennsylvania State Association of Boroughs
Contact person: Ed Troxell, Director of Government Affairs
Telephone #: 717-236-9526 ext 1021
Email Address: etroxell@boroughs.org

Pennsylvania State Association of Township Commissioners
Contact person: Amy Sturges, Director of Governmental Affairs
Telephone #: (717) 232-6540
Email Address: asturges@pamunicipalleague.org

Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors
Contact person: Elam H. Herr, Assistant Executive Director
Telephone #: (717) 763-0930
Email Address: eherr@psats.org