Eliminate Residency Requirements For Police Officers In the State Of Pennsylvania

 

Having a cop living in your neighborhood should be a privilege, not a right!

 

 

Dedicated to those who serve and protect

 

02/01/06

"OHIO DID IT!"

COLUMBUS, OHIO -- Governor Taft has signed a bill into law banning local governments from requiring their employees to live within their boundaries.

 

The Bill - SB 82 Thanks to Ohio Senators Grendell, Jacobson, Brady, Mumper (sponsors of this important bill)

 

More about this new law from the Cleveland Police Patrolmen's Association

We have been let down over the years by this state's government.  This year, many will be up for re-election.  Now is the time for change!  Maybe we need some new faces in the PA government.  Remember those that support eliminating residency requirements, and DEFINITELY REMEMBER THOSE THAT DO NOT!  If we keep re-electing these people, we will never get our bill passed.  They voted no, NOW IT IS OUR TIME TO VOTE NO!

IT'S TIME FOR CHANGE!

OHIO DID IT, SO CAN WE!

 

Always refresh this page on each visit.

 

 

06/10/05

Senate Bill 438 was once again tabled. We offered a compromise on SB 438. The compromise was that officers with 7 or more years would be able to move within a 30 mile radius of their jurisdiction. Also, only the top 5% of the officers would be able to be eligible every year. This was not enough! What is enough?

 

 

 

 

 

An article from the Post Gazette on our battle

We need you to reply to any articles against our Senate Bill.

What the editorial replies are saying

 

NOW IS OUR TIME. LET OUR VOICES BE HEARD.

Click on the links below for contact information

 

 

         

 

"Eliminating residency requirements are not about economics, community or race. It's about family, safety and doing what is right and just. It's about freedom and democracy. To some, it's about the underlying abomination of our police officers . Why is it, that legislation was passed eliminating residency requirements for teachers, who greatly outnumber police officers in this state? And now, for the sake of family and safety, some are so opposed to eliminating residency requirements for police officers." Isn't anybody concerned about this?

Some Legislators are so concerned that eliminating residency requirements will hurt our cities and towns and their residents. Why were they not so concerned when they quickly and overwhelmingly approved raising our state income tax?

We ask that you support our police officers. We ask that you take time from your busy schedule and show our police officers that you stand with them and support their families with this important family issue.

 

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WHERE IT ALL STARTED AND WHERE WE WILL CONTINUE TO FIGHT!

PITTSBURGH

This year, we are continuing the fight to eliminate residency requirements. 

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Most of you want to know. "What happened to SB 290"?

In 2003, we were strong and SB 290 had the best chance of getting passed. However, when the City of Pittsburgh began to have financial problems and fell into a crisis, we felt that it would be best to postpone SB 290 and the public hearings. Our fellow officers were being laid off and most of the focus was on the financial crisis of the City. Although eliminating residency requirements have no impact on the economic condition of the City, we felt that the perception that they did was still out there. It just was not a good time to pursue SB 290. So we postponed the fight to eliminate residency requirements and concentrated on our fellow officers and their jobs.

In 2004, the City of Pittsburgh was in turmoil due to mismanagement by City politicians! This led to a slight delay in our fight.

Now, is the time to fight. SB 438 has been introduced and our battle is renewed.

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We also need supporters of this bill to watch the media, especially the print media. We need supporters to reply to the following editorial and any articles that negatively talk about eliminating residency requirements. Click on the link below and read the editorial. 

 Click here and read the editorial Pittsburgh Post-Gazette editorial

This reply to the editorial was sent to the Post Gazette; however, they still have not published it.

THE REPLY---CLICK HERE

 

 

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News and Related Items About Residency Issues

News - 03/01/05 Target 11 Investigates New Interim School Superintendent ( The new interim school superintendent lives in Cranberry. He is in charge of City of

                            Schools, but is permitted to reside outside the City. A quote taken from the Pittsburgh Post Gazette editorial linked above:

City-dwelling officers are better placed to become familiar with residents and their problems. In minority neighborhoods, where policing by white officers can be a challenge at the best of times, the job can only grow harder if officers are perceived as suburban mercenaries. ( Pittsburgh Post Gazette June 11, 2003 )

 

If he lives in Cranberry, is he better placed to become familiar with residents and their problems? Not according to the Post Gazette! Residency requirements are ridiculous and if our City school superintendent can reside outside the City and still be familiar with our problems, so can police officers. We deal with criminals, he deals with our children. Is the Post Gazette and this argument absurd? I knew you would agree.

 

News - 03/01/05 City sees housing boom (This is not police officers buying and renting. If some police officers moved outside the City, it surely will not hurt the

                                                                City and these people would be buying the houses for sale)

News - 01/24/04 Arbitrator ruled deputies can live outside county

News - 11/23/03 Courts across the country are ruling in favor of lifting residency requirements

News - 08/19/03 Schenectady police officials seek change in residency rule

News - 06/23/03 State Senate group pushing to end rules on where cops live

News - 05/27/03 An report taken from Michigan Firefighters. How they won their residency battle. We hope everyone will fight like they did.

News - 05/12/03 Pennsylvania Citizens Against Residency Requirements For Police Officers Begins Online Petition Drive. Please read it and sign the petition.

News - 05/07/03  Did The Firefighters Union Help In Killing The Residency Bill In November 2002

News - 04/22/03 Police Residence Rule Dropped 

News - 04/23/03  Brentwood Council drops residency requirement for police

News - 02/25/03 Senator Stack Co-Sponsors Bill Banning Police Residency Requirements Thank you Senator!

 

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What happened to Senate Bill 1539, The Law Enforcement Officer Residency Act of 2002. It was a shameful act. We found out who supports police officers in our state.

View Senate Bill 1539, The Law Enforcement Officer Residency Act

Click here to find out the story of SB 1539

 

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Now that the story of SB 1539 was told, it is time to look at the future. It is time to get our effort going again. We need to gain new support and convince the Pennsylvania Legislature that we need this and we definitely deserve this.

Our objectives for our renewed battle!

If anyone or any group, organization or business can assist us or help us in any way, please contact us. Show the Pennsylvania Legislature, that you support the men and women in law enforcement, and show them that we have a voice.

Contact us at: support SB 290@aol.com

 

 

 

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Some may ask, what about the teachers? What was their bill like? What about their bill, that eliminated residency requirements for them? We have included part of the bill below. The part that eliminates residency requirements for all PA teachers.

 

Click here and look at part of SB 485, the bill and sponsors that eliminated residency requirements for PA teachers

 

 

 

 

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We need everyone that supports us, to register to vote. Do it now. We need to show our voting power, and vote the people that don't support us, OUT. We have provided links to help you register, and we also included important dates. We must get every supporter involved and get them registered. We must show our strength on Election Day. After we get everyone to register to vote, we will send out mass emails, mailings and post on this site, the dates that our legislator's terms expire and what area they serve. Those that don't support us, will surely hear from us come election time. Remember, Legislators have access to voter registration statistics, so let's show them that this is important to us. The feeling in Harrisburg, is that cops don't vote. LET'S PROVE THEM WRONG!

 

 

Register to vote here. Do it today.

 

 

 

 

 

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We have researched and studied residency requirements for police officers and the true facts and misconceptions about them. Click below to learn the real truth and the misconceptions about residency requirements. By clicking below, you will be able to see certain aspects, taken from our research. We have included a short version of our extensive report. Please read some of the true facts and decide for yourself.

 

 

The true facts about police officer residency requirements: the final report

 

 

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Click below, and read articles and research papers from the media and professional organizations. See what they say about residency requirements. WHY don't the Legislators listen?

What The Experts Say

 

 

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Police officers in this state have many stories to tell about how residency requirements have caused problems for their families and themselves. They have endured crimes against family members and themselves, just because they were police officers. Click on the link below, to see how residency requirements have impacted their lives and the lives of their family members. We have posted just a few of the many stories that we have received.

 

How have residency requirements made your life different?

 

We need anyone that had a crime or incident occur to their family or themselves as a result of being a police officer and having residency requirements, send us the story. We need this information! This is very important and we need any incident, reported or not, sent to us. Send it here: support SB 290@aol.com

 

 

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Everyone should click here and read this article.

Public Servants: Dangerous Double Standard

 

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For those police officers that feel that they don't support us, or feel they have no time for this, click below. This letter may apply.

So our cause doesn't matter, click here and read

 

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* Business owners, we need your help. We ask that you place our flyer in your business. We need everyone to see and read about our cause. You can find the flyer below. Just click on the flyer link and print out the flyer. Anything that you can do, will help us. Thanks for supporting the police.

 

* Website owners or webmasters. We ask that you place our link to our site on your website. We give you permission, to make your own banner or use ours. We need to drive PA residents to our site, and we need them to support us. You can copy and paste the banner below, or make your own.

Police officers and their families in the State of Pennsylvania, need your help. Click here and show them that you support them

 

 

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Contact those Legislators and the Governor, now.

We need everyone to contact House members, Senators and the Governor. Contact them by written letter, phone, fax or email. Contact them today, let them know that you support police officers in the state of Pennsylvania, being able to reside where they choose. Let them know that you support eliminating residency requirements for police officers in Pennsylvania. Below, you will find sample letters, that can be sent to the Pennsylvania Legislature, whether you are sending to a House member, Senator or the Governor. Below that, you can find any Legislator address, phone number and email address. Tell them to support SB 438. Below are the tools and resources that you need.

Below, you will find flyers that we made for handing out in police stations, workplaces or in public. Post them anywhere that has supporters of police in this state

Click here

Police Officers, need a sample letter to send to the Pennsylvania Legislature

 

 

 Click here

Citizens, we have also made a sample letter that you can use, to send to the Pennsylvania Legislature

 

Click here

 
Click below for a petition to distribute in workplaces and public places

Click here

 Click below for a letter to send to supporters of police

Click here

 Click below for the style for banners, yard signs and large sign. 

Click here

Contact the Governor and Lt. Governor

 

 

Click here

Contact the members of the Pennsylvania Senate 

 

Click here

Contact the members of the House of Representatives

 

Click here

You don't know who your legislators are, click here to find them

 

You can also use this box below. Type in your zip code and send a letter to each state legislator.