From the TIMES OBSERVER:

A bill which would clarify the powers of Pennsylvania's 2,300 sheriff deputies remains stalled in Harrisburg.

Article Poll - Do you think sheriff’s deputies should have the power to investigate crimes and make arrests?

Yes 60%
No 40%

A bill which would clarify the powers of Pennsylvania's sheriff's deputies remains "bottled up" in the House Judiciary Committee.

But the director of the Pennsylvania Sheriff's Association says if the bill is not acted on during the current legislative session, it will be reintroduced in January.

Several court rulings, including a state Supreme Court ruling in the wiretapping case of (Warren County Sheriff Larry) Kopko versus Miler have clouded the question of whether sheriffs deputies have police powers.

The sheriffs association has drafted legislation, House Bill 466, which would clarify that the state's 2,300 deputies do have investigative and arrests powers, provided they have proper training.

Jim Hazen, executive director of the sheriffs association, said the bill was first introduced in October 2006 but not acted upon, then reintroduced in February 2007, but has remained stalled in the committee since.

The bill is co-sponsored by State Rep. Kathy Rapp of Warren.

"It's still bottled up," said Hazen, "but either it or a modified version will be reintroduced in January or February."

Many lawmakers have said they will support the bill, but Hazen said that in May every member of the legislature received a letter of opposition to the bill from the Pennsylvania State Police, Fraternal Order of Police, Pennsylvania District Attorneys Association and Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police Association.

The letter stated that if deputies take on additional law enforcement duties they will not be able to perform traditional court-related duties.

"When our sheriffs can not adequately perform these duties, this imposes a burden on the other law enforcement agencies which must step in and perform these functions," the letter stated.

"That is why it would be a mistake to unnecessarily expand the responsibilities of sheriff departments when statistics clearly show most struggle with their existing complement to fully perform their current duties," the opponents said.

If the legislature does grant full police powers to deputies, the opponents said, deputies should be required to pass psychological testing, complete training and county commissioners in each county should have to vote on the expansion of deputies' powers.

Hazen responded, saying that the 760 hours of police training received by deputies make training a "non-issue."

Hazen also said that county commissioners "control the purse strings" of sheriffs departments and can decide whether or not deputies' roles should be limited to court-related duties or expanded to include law enforcement functions.