2005

Police officers and their supporters in Pennsylvania, will continue the fight. 

A new bill, Senate Bill 438, "The Law Enforcement Officer Residency Act," was introduced on 03/22/05. Police officers and their families need your help. Please read their story and click below to help them in their cause. Thank you!

Eliminate Residency Requirements For All Police Officers In Pennsylvania

Our story.

Our state government and our city leaders have consistently let us down. They have no problem bailing out a city that has been mismanaged. They have no problem increasing taxes or approving gambling legislation that allows them to profit from casinos. They have no problem throwing money away, but when it comes to helping police officers and their families, they have a problem. Why? Is it just a general dislike for law enforcement? Is it that they received a traffic ticket at one time in their life? Is it politics or not enough money contributed to political campaigns? It is shameful that legislation that actually helps someone has to go through a battle that lasts this long. Ask most citizens in this state what they think about residency requirements and they will tell you that it is awful and stupid that in today's age, we even have the residency requirement at all.

 And now, in today's world, police officers in Pennsylvania are attempting to have residency requirements eliminated. What is a residency requirement? Cities, towns and municipalities have imposed a requirement on police officers in their jurisdictions. These municipalities have laws or rules that require police officers that are employed by the municipality, to reside within the municipality. The old "company store" mentality. As times change and criminals change, police officers also want a change. We want to be able to reside, wherever we choose, and not  be required to live where the government tells us to live. Should a government for the people, by the people, be permitted to tell you where to live? NO! 

In the year 2002, police officers from across the state, tried to get the Pennsylvania Legislature to create a new law, called the Law Enforcement Officer Residency Act. This new law, would have given police officers in the state of Pennsylvania, the choice to live, wherever they chose to live. Unfortunately, we were let down by the Legislature, and the bill, Senate Bill 1539, was tabled. Why? Ask your Legislator. And then check this site to see the real facts about residency requirements. Politics, the misinformed and the misguided, allowed this bill to be tabled. 

We feel that police officers have documented and true reasons to be able to reside wherever they choose. We want the laws changed and we need your support to change the laws and the views of the Pennsylvania Legislature. We only ask that the Law Enforcement Officer Residency Act, be made into law.

Why should you support our cause? Everyday, law enforcement officers risk their lives, are injured and work countless hours, under adverse conditions, so you and your family can be safe and enjoy freedom. Police officers are constantly hit with false lawsuits, complaints and allegations. And we rarely ask for anything in return. With residency requirements, we are forced to live within the limits of a municipality, along with our families. Is this right? What if you were told you had to live in a certain place, use certain schools for your children, sometimes only having a small choice for housing? What if the community could tax you whenever they wanted and you could do nothing except pay the tax, because you can't move out of the community to escape the outrageous taxes? What if your children went to school with kids or their parents, arrested by you. What if you and your family were targeted by individuals that were arrested by you.  What if you wanted to marry another police officer from another municipality, but couldn't, because each of you had to reside in the municipality that employed you. These are real facts and many of our police officers are faced with them. We just ask that you support this act. Let us raise our children in the community that we want. Let us have the freedom to choose. Let us enjoy the right that every other citizen has. Let us protect our families and give our children the best opportunity that we can give. Your safety and freedom will not be compromised. And remember, all police officers are not going to move, but they would have a choice, just like you.

On this site, you will be able to read the real facts about residency requirements, and not be mislead by the government or the media. Also on this site, you will be able to contact your Legislator, and let them know that you support the police and support eliminating residency requirements for police officers in the state of Pennsylvania. You can also sign our online petition. And we want you to remember: 

In June of 2001, the Pennsylvania Legislature, eliminated residency requirements for teachers in this state, with no obstacles.  The vote was 43-15 in the PA Senate, and 157-35 in the PA House. The Governor then signed Senate Bill 485, thus eliminating residency requirements for teachers in Pennsylvania. Now in 2003, those same Legislators refuse to give police officers in the state of Pennsylvania, the same right. Police officers in this state have far more reasons and facts to have residency requirements lifted. And we feel we deserve it. I never heard of a teacher's child getting beaten in school, simply because his parent was a teacher. Ask a police officer if this is the same for his or her child.

 Many Legislators refuse to do this for police officers in PA, due to the myth, that they fear that the police officers will move out of the cities and the cities will lose tax money. Some may wonder why they did not think of this when they allowed teachers to move out of the cities. Pittsburgh has 2785 teachers, with the average salary of $59,510. Philadelphia has 10,709 teachers, with the average salary of $50,966. In the state of Pennsylvania, we have 119,548 teachers. THAT's A LOT OF TEACHERS AND THAT'S A LOT OF TAX MONEY. AND USING THE SCARE TACTIC AND MYTH THAT ALL POLICE OFFICERS WILL MOVE OUT OF THE CITIES AND THIS WILL HURT THE CITIES, IS A LOT OF LIES. If they did it for the teachers and there was no impact to the cities, they can surely do it for the police officers in this state! This state has far less police officers and as many of you know, many police departments in your towns are now gone due to cutbacks.

Let's show them that we do not listen to scare tactics and lies. Let's show them that we want our police officers and their families to have this. If you don't have the time to contact your Legislator, please click below and sign the online petition for Pennsylvania citizens.

Thank you for your support!

2005