Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Page 39 Page 40AMERICAN POLICE BEAT: JANUARY 2017 21 L isten up law en- forcement people – we need you guys to collect DNA samples for anyone that gets arrested.” “That’s fine - how will you guys be paying for that ser- vice?” “We’re not, that’s the whole idea – you guys just A politician uses a visual aid to describe the practice of unfunded mandates. That’s when the city, county or state tells the police to do things they won’t be paid for – such as federal immigration enforcement and the collection of DNA from arrestees. No money do it for free.” “Yeah . . . about that.” In Oklahoma, a local FOX News affiliate has learned that law was supposed to go into effect recently that would require cops to collect biological samples from peo- ple who have been arrested is yet another unfunded mandate. Local law enforcement officials say the law is quite simply “words on paper” and nothing more. The new “DNA at Ar- rest” law states that any person arrested on felony complaints will have their cheek swabbed for a DNA sample. Oddly, the sample is sup- posed to be taken during booking instead of after a suspect is convicted. The DNA would then go into one of the many national databases that po- lice sometimes use to solve crimes. However, the law was passed with no attached funding, according to the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation. They say the DNA can- not be stored or analyzed without a budget. Plus there’s the fact that the supporters of the law said they’d pay for it “when funding was available.” Sounds like “the check’s in the mail,” no? Reporters asked the Tulsa Police Department and the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Of- fice if they were complying with the law. Officials at both agencies say they haven’t because they have no money to do so. Law just words on paper by the Pennsylvania District Attorneys Association T he PDAA recom- mends that officer- involved shootings should be investigated by an independent agency and that the local District At- torney should provide the public with a written report following the completion of the investigation. The recommendations are part of 16 guidelines estab- lished by association’s Best Practices Committee dealing with processing, investigat- ing and communicating determinations made in of- ficer-involved shootings. The Best Practices for Of- ficer-Involved Shootings will provide prosecutors with recommendations to ensure investigations are conducted with independence and ob- jectively. The guidelines are be- lieved to be the first state- wide guidelines for prosecu- tors produced in the United States. “Officer-involved shoot- ings are traumatic, com- plex, and highly publicized events,” said PDAA Presi- dent and Lebanon County District Attorney David Arnold. “As prosecutors, it is our duty to ensure than any police-related shooting is thoroughly reviewed in a manner that is objective and fair for everyone involved. In making these recommen- dations, our goals are to help law enforcement use best practices to make good deci- sions, even under incredibly difficult circumstances, and help the public better un- derstand and have greater confidence in the process.” Penn. DAs can’t take the heat, recommend independent agencies District Attorneys in Pennsylvania want independent reviews of police shootings. Is this just common sense or did a whole lot of cops just get thrown under the bus? We at Boston Leather support those who serve. Let us serve you with only the best quality leather products. HANDCUFF CASES | BADGE HOLDERS | RADIO HOLDERS CHEMICAL HOLDERS | BELTS | HOLSTERS | K9 ACCESSORIES P: (800) 733-1492 | F: (800) 856-1650 | 1801 Eastwood Dr. Sterling, IL 61081 Visit Us Online To Find A Dealer Near You | www.bostonleather.com Fine Leather Belts and Accessories ERVWRQ CRAFTED WITH PRIDE IN THE USA BATON HOLDERS BELT KEEPERS CHEMICAL HOLDERS FLASHLIGHT HOLDERS HANDCUFF CASES KEY HOLDERS MAG POUCHES RADIO HOLDERS SHOULDER MIC STRAPS