Local Police Would Get Radar In Bill Approved By PA Senate

Local police in Pennsylvania are one step closer to being able to use radar to enforce speed. The Pennsylvania Senate this week approved a bill that would allow the use of radar by local police departments. The bill passed by a 46-3 vote, and now heads to the House.

In Pennsylvania, just the State Police are authorized to use radar.

Senator Randy Vulakovich, the bill's prime sponsor, said the measure allowing local police to use the technology for speed enforcement is "long overdue."

Pennsylvania is the only state in the country that prohibits its local police from using radar to monitor speed.

“We often talk about equipping our officers with the latest and best in technology; however, for some reason Pennsylvania has not yet provided its law enforcement officers with radar technology that has been around since World War II. It is well past time we provide our officers with this speed enforcement mechanism," Vulakovich, a former municipal police officer, said in a news release.

According to Vulakovich, the measure is supported by the Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police Association, the Pennsylvania Municipal League, the Pennsylvania State Association of Boroughs, the Pennsylvania Association of Township Commissioners, the Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors and the Pennsylvania State Mayors Association.

This is the second year in a row lawmakers have pursued the issue. A similar bill died in the House last year, NBC reported.

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