Gov. Wolf announces new police reforms to focus on training and accountability, and other news ...

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Gov. Wolf Announces New Police Reforms,

Focus on Training and Accountability

On Thursday, Gov. Tom Wolf announced several immediate actions his administration will take to improve relations between law enforcement and the communities they serve, as days of protests across the Commonwealth called for reforms to policing practices after the death of George Floyd, a Minnesota black man who died while in Minneapolis police custody over Memorial Day weekend.

Gov. Wolf said he will be looking to implement policies that strengthen training and accountability for law enforcement agencies throughout Pennsylvania. He added that the reforms and directives he will put forth are based on recommendations offered by the 21st Century Policing Task Force, which was created by President Barack Obama following the 2015 death of Michael Brown, a black man who also died while in police custody in Missouri.

According to the governor' office, some of the recommendations offered on Thursday include developing offices within the administration to address systemic issues relating to accountability for law enforcement agencies under the governor's jurisdiction. This includes creating the position of Deputy Inspector General within the Pennsylvania Office of State Inspector General (OSIG), who will focus on deterring, detecting, preventing, and eradicating fraud, waste, misconduct, and abuse among law enforcement agencies. In addition, the governor said he will create a Pennsylvania State Law Enforcement Advisory Commission to review allegations of misconduct by police under the governor’s jurisdiction, as well as a Racial and Ethnic Disparities Subcommittee under the Criminal Justice Advisory Committee (CJAC) at the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD).

Gov. Wolf also said he will require the review of training and education standards for police officers. He said all training academies must review current use of force practices and develop model training standards to ensure that all officers receive the best instruction in their interactions with the public. He added that law enforcement departments should be striving to obtain state and or national accreditation. The governor also said the state must enhance officer safety and wellness, to assist law enforcement personnel with mental health support to address trauma.

The governor also said he will support needed legislative reforms. Yesterday, several members of the Pennsylvania General Assembly renewed calls for legislation that would address police practices, including reforms to the state’s deadly force law, transparency in police disciplinary records, and greater police oversight. A group of state House Democrats and local Philadelphia lawmakers proposed dozens of reforms regarding police training, discipline, and oversight they believe are within the authority of the governor's office.

Earlier this week, Gov. Tom Wolf marched in Harrisburg with Harrisburg Mayor Eric Papenfeuse and Police Chief Thomas Carter, alongside protestors who are calling for the end of police brutality and racial injustice.

Daily COVID-19 update for Pennsylvania

The Pennsylvania Department of Health reported 537 new positive confirmed cases of COVID-19 statewide on Thursday, bringing the state total to 73,942. In addition, 5,817 Pennsylvanians have died from complications from the virus. To date, there have been nearly 417,000 negative cases across the state.

Daily COVID-19 update for Ohio

The Ohio Department of Health reported 37,282 cumulative cases of COVID-19 and 2,339 deaths, including probable cases, by Thursday afternoon. There have been 6,312 hospitalizations and 1,623 ICU admissions.

Other News...

Western Pa. casinos set to reopen next week with capacity limits and face masks. Beginning Tuesday, June 9, two of Pennsylvania's 12 operating casinos will reopen their doors to the public, restarting operations for an industry that has been shutdown since early March. The Rivers Pittsburgh in Allegheny County and The Meadows in Washington County will be the first casinos to welcome visitors since the shutdown, implementing capacity limitations and requiring face masks. The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board reported earlier this week that revenues provided to the state from casino gaming are down nearly 85 percent from last year's numbers. On average, the state's casino industry drives more than $1.5 billion in revenues per year to the state.

Pa. primary vote tallies continue as results stay in limbo for a third day. As election officials across the state try to count more than 1.4 million mail-in ballots from Tuesday's primary election, some races are stuck in limbo without an official, announced winner. The Associated Press said they have not yet called a number of races where the contest was close or had a large number of votes yet to be counted.

State officials say Pa. has reached its May COVID-19 testing goals. As Pennsylvania nears 75,000 positive cases of COVID-19 statewide, state health officials said the Commonwealth has met its testing goals for the month of May. The Department of Health said more than 283,000 COVID-19 diagnostic tests had been reported to the department last month.

More than two-thirds of COVID-19 patients recover, Pa. health officials report. The Pennsylvania Department of Health reported on Wednesday that nearly 68 percent of patients who contracted COVID-19 have recovered from the virus. Health officials said they are still analyzing trends and data related to COVID-19 as the state lifts strict stay-at-home orders and loosens business closures.

Unprecedented times, but McNees is here to help

The situation surrounding COVID-19 is changing by the hour. Capitol Buzz will do its best to keep our readers as up-to-date as possible as to local, state and federal actions relating to the virus.

As we have stated in previous editions, for those businesses seeking guidance or assistance on how to proceed during this unprecedented time, please contact the McNees Labor and Employment Practice Group , or for government relations and nonprofit consulting assistance please contact the McNees Strategic Solutions Group (MSSG) .

You can also visit the McNees COVID-19 Article & Resource Page for more information on various legal and political issues created by the novel coronavirus.

For more information on what you can do to protect yourself and others, check out the CDC's coronavirus information page or visit www.health.pa.gov .