DV Journal

On Oct. 26, 2023, SEPTA bus driver Bernard Gribbin was shot dead as he sat behind the wheel of his bus in Germantown. Police arrested a female passenger shortly afterward.

A bill named for Gribbin, sponsored by local state Sen. Joe Picozzi (R-Philadelphia), recently passed the Pennsylvania Senate 48 to 1. It creates a new offense for interference with the operation of a public transit vehicle. Offenders causing serious bodily injury or death would face a felony of the first degree, while interference resulting in bodily injury, or the fear of imminent harm would be classified as a felony of the third degree.

In remarks before the Senate, Picozzi said the “senselessly murdered” Gribbin, a retired Army combat engineer, had worked for SEPTA for 12 years and was “beloved” by his riders.

Those who harm transit workers can also cause accidents in the process, harming members of the public, he added.

SEPTA, the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transit Authority, supports the bill. The legislation sends a strong message that violence against public transit operators will not be tolerated, and those responsible for putting others’ safety at risk will face severe consequences, according to the agency.

Sen. Frank Farry (R-Bucks), who also sponsored the measure, said, “Our transit workers deserve to be safe in their workplace. This bill would not only provide the necessary protections for our hardworking transit employees who provide a critical service to our community and are vital to Pennsylvania but also protect the passengers and other commuters on the roadway.”

Sponsor Sen. Tracy Pennycuick (R-Montgomery) said, “Transit operators across Pennsylvania deserve a safe workplace. In the Southeast, SEPTA operators have faced a rise in assaults and violent incidents. We must take stronger action to protect these workers and ensure that public transit remains safe for both employees and passengers.”

Sen. Tina Tartaglione (D-Philadelphia) said, “Our transit workers keep Pennsylvania moving, yet too many face threats and violence on the job. No one should fear for their safety while simply doing their job,” she continued. “Bernard Gribbin’s tragic death is a stark reminder of the urgency to act. This legislation will give transit workers the protections they deserve and send a clear message—violence against them will not be tolerated.”

The bill is now in the House.

Picozzi also brought the Senate Majority Policy Committee to Kensington for a discussion with the Philadelphia police. Long known as a haven for drug addicts and drug dealers, the City of Philadelphia, under Mayor Cherelle Parker, is taking steps to improve the area.

The state senators then toured Riverview Wellness Village, a nearby recovery-based housing center that Parker created. Riverview provides housing and special services to help those suffering from drug use build sustainable habits for long-term recovery. They are now in the process of adding more beds and workforce development initiatives.

“Public safety is my number one priority, and we are appreciative to our city law enforcement who provided firsthand witness to the challenges they face,” said Picozzi. “It was important for me to share those realities with my colleagues as we explore ways to help keep everyone safer.”

Committee Chair Sen. Dave Argall (R-Carbon) said, “The brave officers we met with yesterday deserve more than just our thanks – they need more support. Sen. Picozzi stressed throughout this visit that the Philadelphia Police and Mayor Parker have made strides toward reducing crime within the city, but they need more help. The persistent deterioration of neighborhoods that we witnessed is completely unacceptable.”

Sen. Farry(R-Bucks) announced today that more than $400,000 of grants were awarded to fire and EMS companies in the 6th Senatorial District through the Fire Company and Emergency Medical Service Grant Program.

“Through legislation, I was instrumental in reauthorizing this grant program, as well as expanding it to better meet the needs of our local volunteer and career fire companies,” said Farry. “This state funding is much needed for both our volunteer and paid first responders and the communities they protect.”

The Fire Company and Emergency Medical Services Grant Program is an annual grant program available for volunteer and career fire companies, emergency medical services and rescue squads and is administered by the Office of State Fire Commissioner.

Eligible projects in accordance with the 2024-25 FCEMSGP Projects eligible for funding include construction or renovation of a fire or ambulance company facility, purchase or repair of equipment, training or reduction of existing debt.

The awarded grants include:

Eligible projects in accordance with the 2024-25 FCEMSGP Projects eligible for funding include construction or renovation of a fire or ambulance company facility, purchase or repair of equipment, training or reduction of existing debt.

(From a press release)

Sen. Frank Farry (R-Bucks) and Reps. Kristin Marcell (R-Richboro) and Joe Hogan (R-Feasterville) announced that the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority (PENNVEST) has approved the Northampton Bucks County Municipal Authority’s request for a low interest loan of $9,434,574 for a wastewater project.

With the funding, the authority will rehabilitate part of their collection and conveyance system – which serves more than 13,000 residents in Northampton Township in Bucks County – using cured-in-place pipe lining.

“I am pleased to see this substantial funding awarded to Northampton Bucks County Municipal Authority,” said Farry. “This is a necessary investment that will ultimately protect the health and well-being of the residents of Northampton Township and the surrounding communities.”

The collection system was constructed between 1973 and 1980 with pipes made of vitrified clay, which are defective due to aging. Infiltration and inflow during wet weather events result in a significant increase in the base flow, overwhelming the pump stations, and leading to sanitary sewer overflows into the Ironworks Creek, a tributary to the Neshaminy Creek.

“This low interest loan will help support infrastructure challenges in Northampton Township,” said Marcell. “By upgrading the wastewater system, we’re protecting our local waterways, supporting public health and ensuring our community’s infrastructure is equipped to meet future demands. I’m proud to partner with Sen. Farry on this important project for our residents.”

The project includes lining 49,000 feet of sewer mains and 729 laterals as well as installing a new sewer cleanout at each property, intended to eliminate the cause of wet weather overflows and potential discharge of untreated sewage to the authority’s waterways.

“These funds not only help the authority to significantly reduce the amount of sewer discharge into Neshaminy Creek, but they will also help to reduce operating costs, which ultimately stabilizes rates for customers,” said Hogan.

For the first five years, the loan’s interest rate will be locked at 1.743 percent and will increase to 2.279 percent for years six until maturity. The PENNVEST low-interest loan funding will provide the grant-equivalent of $2,656,692 over the life of the loan. Resident rates are not expected to rise.

PENNVEST is an independent state agency that provides financial assistance for sewer, storm water and drinking water projects in communities across the commonwealth.

September 11. Columbine.

They were the unthinkable, horrific incidents that officials mentioned at a recent press conference announcing $350,000 in state funds to buy a Lenco BearCat vehicle for Bucks County SWAT use.

State Sen. Frank Farry (R-Bucks) announced the funding, surrounded by law enforcement and state representatives who helped obtain it in the lower chamber.

Farry said the county’s one BearCat is 21 years old and stored in central Bucks County. The new BearCat will stay in Bensalem unless it’s needed.

State Sen. Frank Farry (R-Bucks)

If an unthinkable incident occurs, a second armored vehicle will help with response time.

“It sure is better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it,” said Rep. K.C. Tomlinson (R-Bensalem).

Farry called it a “vital tool for our law enforcement officers when high-risk incidents happen. So, whether it is a hostage situation or somebody threatening to harm themselves in a mass casualty incident, this is an important tool for them to use.”

It will help protect not just law enforcement officers but civilians, as well, he said.

“I’ve been a volunteer firefighter for 35 years and the chief of the Langhorne Middletown Department for over 23 now. As I was thinking about speaking today, one of the things I thought about is the equipment that we have on our fire apparatus. We have a lot of equipment that we use fairly regularly, but we also have other equipment there for specialized incidents.

“And it’s equipment you never want to pull off the truck or utilize because that means you’re at a large loss of life, you’re at a significant property damage incident and whatnot. But it’s equipment that’s necessary to have to be able to do our job. And the command staff and police leadership in Bucks County that are standing behind me will be able to attest that they never want to have to deploy equipment of this nature. But this equipment is necessary in the event that they have to deploy it and they need to keep their officers safe. But they also may need it to rescue members of the public, and keep them safe.

“And ultimately, the piece of equipment may be deployed to bring an end to an incident.”

Bensalem Mayor Digirolamo and William McVey, director of public safety, Warrington Police Chief Dan Friel, president of Bucks County Chiefs Association, said, “We are extremely grateful for our state representatives and senator for obtaining the funds for this vehicle refuse that will protect police and civilians alike.”

Press conference to announce BearCat funding

“It is essential that police officers are afforded the protective armor BearCats can provide. Using the essential equipment has become a common tactic. Because it is common sense. The BearCat can operate in situations where traditional rescue apparatus cannot.”

In addition to violent shooting situations, it can be useful for rescuing people following hurricanes and tornadoes, he said, as well as overcoming barricades and serving high-risk search warrants.

All three Bucks County SWAT teams will use this “tremendous and necessary resource,” said Friel.

District Attorney Jennifer Schorn welcomed the funding and thanked the state legislators for obtaining it.

Sheriff Fred Harran said “keeping our county safe” is the first priority, mentioning that it has been 26 years since the Columbine school shooting and 23 years since the 9/11 terror attack.

After 9/11, there was an “influx of funds to help law enforcement. Then the tide turned, and those funds went away,” said Harran. The legislators knew there was no federal funding and they “stepped up to the plate,” he said.

Rep. Kristin Marcell (R-Richboro), Rep. Shelby Labs (R-Doylestown), and Rep. Joe Hogan (R-Penndel) were also on hand to announce the BearCat funding. Farry said Rep. Craig Staats (R-Richland) also assisted but could not attend the press conference.

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(From a press release)

Sen. Frank Farry (R-6) and Reps. Kristin Marcell (R-178) and Joe Hogan (R-142) today announced more than $1.5 million in grants from the Multimodal Transportation Fund were awarded to improve safety in the district.

Warwick Township was awarded a $1.5 million grant for the reconstruction of the bridge carrying Valley Road over a tributary of Neshaminy Creek. Lower Southampton Township was awarded $41,790 to upgrade two school speed zones with LED and high-visibility signage with radar speed notification and traffic camera monitoring capabilities.

“I am committed to supporting the safety of our communities and am pleased to have helped secure the funding for these important projects in Warwick and Lower Southampton townships,” said Farry. “The reconstruction of the bridge in Warwick and the school speed zone upgrades in Lower Southampton will improve the safety, welfare and quality of life of our community for years to come.”

The Multimodal Transportation Fund provides financial assistance to municipalities, councils of governments, businesses, economic development organizations, public transportation agencies, and ports and rail freight entities. By improving transportation assets, this program seeks to enhance communities, pedestrian safety and transit revitalization.

“I’m happy to have helped Warwick Township secure state funding to reconstruct the Valley Road bridge,” said Marcell. “This infrastructure project is crucial for our community, addressing significant safety concerns and ensuring this key connector between York Road and Almshouse Road remains safe and reliable. By improving this vital piece of infrastructure, we are enhancing the quality of life and safety for all residents.”

“I am happy that Sen. Farry and I are once again delivering for our communities,” Hogan said, who represents Lower Southampton. “Making our schools and roads safe has been a major priority of mine and this money will go a long way to ensure students are safe when leaving school buses and parents have peace of mind when picking up or dropping off their child.”

On Sept. 23, PennDOT will begin accepting applications for the next round of funding for grants under the Multimodal Transportation Fund, with applications due by Nov. 5.

State Sen. Frank Farry was advocating for funding for community colleges last week when he learned Bucks County commissioners voted to replace him as a board member for Bucks County Community College.

“I’m in Harrisburg fighting for funding for community colleges when I hear I’m getting removed simply because I’m a Republican,” said Farry. “That’s a bit of irony.”

Farry secured a 6 percent funding increase for the community colleges, something some legislators opposed because they don’t have a community college in their districts.

Farry said he cares deeply about the community college and made time to serve on the board despite family obligations and his volunteer position as Langhorne-Middletown Fire Company Chief.

“We reached out to the members who’d gone off this board and thanked them for their service,” said Commissioner Chair Harvie. But Farry said he was never notified before the July 10 commissioners meeting that he was not being reappointed. He did receive a letter from Harvie a week later.

The two Democratic commissioners voted for five new people to serve six-year terms on the community college board: Tabitha Dell’Angelo, Adrienne King, John Murray, Edward Tokmajian, and Vincent Magyar Jr.

Minority Republican Commissioner Gene DiGiralomo voted against the appointments.

DiGiralomo, who served in the state House before becoming a county commissioner, talked about how the majority would switch from one party to the other and back again.

He recalled the phrase, “The majority has their way, and the minority has their say.” He added, “Be careful what you do when you’re in the majority because the minority is going to remember, and you won’t be in the majority forever.

“The five people who are new appointments are taking the place of five people on the board of trustees; all five of them would have liked to be reappointed, but they were not…Believe me, I understand it from a political standpoint. There’s some good people being let go. They served the community college very well.

“One person in particular, who has been there for a term and probably half of another term, is one of our state senators, Frank Farry. And Frank, in my estimation, was an invaluable member of the Board of Trustees. Not only had (he) done a good job, he was an advocate, an elected advocate up in Harrisburg, when he was in the House and now while he’s in the state Senate. And that was really important, because when the state does its budget, a big part of the community college budget is appropriated by the state. And he was always an advocate for Bucks County Community College when he was up there.  As I see it with him, we’re losing that voice up in Harrisburg. And I can’t help but think that’s not good for the community college.”

Board Chair Diane Ellis-Marseglia said, “One of the things that has happened at the community college is that there has been a series of financial dilemmas that have come up in the past few years. Very serious things that the board should have been dealing with. I’m not sure why they were not dealing with it, but I think sometimes that happens when you have people that are on boards for six, seven, eight terms. They just don’t look at (new) things.”

However, Farry said Ellis-Marseglia never spoke to him about her concerns about the college’s finances.

“Diane Marseglia never raised concerns about the financial well-being to us,” said Farry. “She certainly calls me seeking (state) funding. She’s got my cell phone.”

As for the financial issues, an audit had found some bookkeeping errors that are being addressed, Farry said.  Like all colleges, the BCCC faces falling enrollment and higher costs due to inflation, he said.

Farry said he didn’t know the “impetus of her blame game.”

“I was in Harrisburg fighting for funding for the community colleges when I heard I’m getting removed, simply because I’m a Republican,” he said.

“The college means a lot to me,” said Farry.  And he will continue to advocate for it in Harrisburg but without the insider information that he had as a board member, he thinks he might be less effective.

“Those actions don’t meet their campaign rhetoric,” he added. He noted Ellis-Marseglia and Harvie  campaigned for reelection last year on their bipartisanship. Although, when DiGirolamo and county Controller Pamela Van Blunk were running against Harvie and Ellis-Marseglia, one of the things they criticized the Democrats for was replacing Republicans on the various county boards with Democrats. For years when Republicans controlled the Board of Commissioners, they appointed both Republicans and Democrats to various boards, DiGirolamo said. The longest serving member on the BCCC board is Blake Eisenhart, a Democrat who has served for 36 years.

“That’s a sad state of affairs for Bucks County Community College,” said Farry. “The politics of it matters…They chose to throw me out at a public meeting.”

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It was the worst day of David Schwartz’s life.

Two men attacked Schwartz, 63, the sole proprietor of Comic Collection, a comic book shop on Bustleton Pike in Feasterville, on Sept. 18, 2022. They beat him, robbed him, and left him zip-tied in darkness.

The police came after neighbors called.

“The cops came, and they got me untied. They helped me get through whatever I got through. If it wasn’t for the fact the community helped me out, I might not be here today. They brutally beat me, but I’m safe, thanks to the Lower Southampton Police Department,” said Schwartz.

They took money and merchandise. One neighbor reported two men carrying large trash bags out of the store, he said.

(from left) State Reps. Kristin Marcell, Shelby Labs, Joe Hogan, and K.C. Tomlinson with Sen. Frank Farry.

“These neighbors are awesome,” said Schwartz. “They called the police because it looked suspicious.”

The police used a dog to sniff out where the robbers had hidden the bags of merchandise, apparently planning to come back and get them.

“I got most of my merchandise back,” he said.  “They took the watch off my wrist. It was my father’s gift. He’s no longer with us.”

At a press conference Thursday, Police Chief Ted Krimmel said his department, with the help of a K-9  and an officer from Upper Southampton, eventually tracked down DNA evidence which led to the arrest of two Michigan truck drivers. One of them came into the shop to case it before the robbery, said Schwartz.

He said detectives, in cooperation with Michigan police, linked the two suspects to the robbery. Caleb Simpson and Zackery Tucker are in custody at the Bucks County Corrections Center.

First Assistant District Attorney Ed Louka, who is prosecuting the case, said DNA was the key.

“There’s no substitute for good, old-fashioned police work…but the DNA evidence was crucial here,” said Louka. “It was not only crucial in linking Caleb Simpson and Zackery Tucker, but Lower Southampton got a tip that two other people who actually resembled the actors might be involved. It was DNA evidence that that was able to rule them out.”

State Sen. Frank Farry (R-Bucks) said he and state Reps. K.C. Tomlinson (R-Bensalem) and Joe Hogan (R-Feasterville) have introduced bills to require DNA samples to be taken after arrests for violent felonies. He noted that now DNA is only taken after convictions.

“This has been found legal through a Supreme Court case,” said Farry. “Eighteen or 19 other states already have this as law.”

“Quite frankly, you heard how important DNA evidence is,” said Farry.

Tomlinson said she’s been focusing on crime since being elected four years ago and has introduced several anti-crime bills, including on porch pirates and retail theft, that have been signed into law. Others remain pending, including a bill to prevent catalytic converter thefts and an anti-looting package. With Hogan, she’s also introduced an anti-street racing bill.

“These bills are necessary, needed, and commonsense,” said Tomlinson. ‘We continuously hear from our constituents about rising crime in our area. Luckily, our sheriff and local law enforcement are the best of the best…This is not the Bucks County I grew up in. I grew up in my district, and crime was nothing like it is today.”

Hogan said, “We heard earlier today that DNA makes a difference.” The new bill requires DNA to be taken after arrest for violent crimes, he added.

In response to a question from DVJournal, he said these crimes are “murder and violent felonies and certain sexual assault misdemeanors.”

“There is also a gap in the post-conviction (DNA) statute because it doesn’t include murder,” said Farry. The bill would close that loophole.

Both California and Texas already do that, said Hogan. The bill is bipartisan and the legislators also have the support of Bucks County law enforcement.

State Reps. Kristin Marcell (R-Richboro) and Shelby Labs (R-Doylestown) are cosponsors and were on hand for the press conference.

Sheriff Fred Harran said the legislators saw “a problem and stepped up.”

They’re ensuring “law enforcement has the tools they need daily.”

“This is going to be a game-changer for law enforcement,” said Harran about the DNA legislation. “It’s scientific. It’s 110 percent foolproof.”

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State Sen. Frank Farry, accompanied by Bucks County Representatives K.C. Tomlinson, Kristin Marcell, and Shelby Labs, highlighted employment choices for intellectually disabled workers at a press conference Tuesday at Associated Product Services.

A new report from the Joint State Government Commission mandated by a resolution that Farry (R-Bucks) authored when he was a state representative focuses on ensuring that people with disabilities and their families have choices.

Farry said there was “a war” on sheltered workplaces for people with disabilities in 2016 and 2017 and a push to change the rules.

“We had a huge rally at the Capitol,” he said. Workers, their families, and service providers came to the state house to advocate for “my work, my choice.”

“The Office of Developmental Programs, in their rate setting, actually penalizes operations like this for not having a community component,” Farry said. “I can tell you this is the community for the men and women standing behind me.  It’s a shame we’re still talking about this issue.”

Sen. Frank Farry with (far left) Reps. K.C. Tomlinson, Shelby Labs, and Kristin Marcell.

The 140-page study “reaffirms what we have heard from the people standing behind me, what we have heard from your families. And that is choice should be paramount, and government should not be interfering with that choice.”

“I think it’s important that we use this study moving forward as a blueprint to push back at the unelected bureaucrats who are making decisions to the detriment of the men and women behind me,” said Farry.

“It’s important to note there is a wide spectrum of people like my son who need specialized levels of support that’s not available at other centers of employment,” said Gail Thibodeau. Her son, Matt, has worked at Associated Produce Services for 17 years.

To fight for the employment program, Thibodeau and others “started writing a letter campaign to the Department of Human Services. And we wrote so many letters they asked us to stop writing letters. So we wrote more letters. And we did win that one.”

Farry and Gene DiGirolamo, formerly a state representative and now a Bucks County commissioner, fought the bureaucrats and others who wanted to end those programs where disabled people are paid to work in a supportive setting. Thibodeau noted they also continue to receive Social Security disability payments.

Thibodeau, of Middletown, is also involved in a national organization, the Coalition for the Preservation of Employment Choice, that fights to allow families and individuals to make employment choices.

“My son is filled with pride coming to work at APS  five days a week,” said Thibodeau. He learns new skills under the direction of caring support staff. He makes new friends. He loves his job so much that he’s our alarm clock each weekday.”

Matt Thibodeau added, “Good money! Good paycheck!”

Sharon and Bob DeNucci’s son, Bobby, has worked at APS for nine years.

“I can’t believe we’re still talking about this,” said Sharon DeNucci of Bristol.

“As a parent of an individual with disabilities, our job is never-ending. I’m not just here on behalf of my son but of all the individuals behind me. Every time I drop him off in the morning, I enjoy watching him and his coworkers as they arrive at work. They’re greeted by APS supervisor Mike, who always has a smile on his face.”

Bobby is “happy and excited to come to work…these employees work in a safe and supported environment…I truly believe they are respected for who they are, regardless of what they can do.  I hope they continue to have the choice for many years to come.”

Bobby DeNucci, 30, said, “Thank you all very much.”

Gail Thibodeau, with her son, Matt.

Sharon DeNucci said not every disabled person can work at a supermarket or other business. And as for the complaint that they’re not in a community, APS provides the community. The disabled workers enjoy each other’s company on breaks and at lunch. Bobby DeNucci also participates in Special Olympics and other programs.

APS was founded 47 years ago by Executive Director Jay Belding, a former special education teacher. It employs 385 people in six locations in the area, with 110 working at the Trevose building, where they were packing items into boxes shortly before the press conference. APS receives $4.5 million, about half its income, from the state, said Belding.

Belding said it was a fundamental American value to have a choice to “participate in the workaday world.”

“The APS model, as simply as I can put it, is, we’re here to learn and earn,” he said. “We are putting our workforce into an environment where they are participating in wage-earning activities. And while doing so, they’re learning the basic tenets of work, which include getting along with each other…to working together in the assembly line with everybody moving forward.”

He said the client-workers “form a true community” with the APS employees and each other. And just like anyone else, they take their $3 million in annual wages and spend it in the community.

“Although it seems antithetical, what we want to say is that we want to be one of the choices, and there are many. We believe that families should have a choice to ensure that their folks are participating in the workaday world in an environment that is challenging but safe, adaptive, flexible, and working together with the families, which, in the long run, strengthens the entire community,” said Belding.

Farry added that disabled people “should not be forced to participate in activities they have no interest in.”

“It’s not the ideas of bureaucrats in Harrisburg,” said Farry. “It is person-centered here. The number one recommendation (in the report) promotes freedom of choice. The desires and needs of an individual shall be paramount in all decisions.”

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Ashley Spence burst into tears when she heard a judge sentence the man who raped and nearly killed her to almost 138 years in prison.

“As I stood in the back of the courtroom and heard these words, my head fell into my hands, and I began to cry,” said Spence. “I cried for the pain. I cried for the justice that I finally felt after 13 long years. I cried for the protection I now felt, not just for myself but for my children. But mostly, I cried because I knew this man would never be able to harm another person again.”

In 2003, when Spence was 19 and a sophomore at Arizona State University, she moved into an apartment and went to bed “thinking that I was safe.”

But during the night, “while I was asleep, an intruder came into my apartment, suffocated my face with a pillow and began to tear off my clothes from the waist down…I thought it was a nightmare.”

Her assailant beat her and raped her while keeping a pillow over her face.

(From left) Sen. Frank Farry, Rep. K.C. Tomlinson, Sheriff Fred Harran, Ashley Spence, and Rep. Joe Hogan.

“The entire time, I could not see the face of the monster that was committing these horrific crimes against me,” Spence said. “I’m so fortunate I survived, but he got away, and I never saw his face.”

Spence spoke at a press conference called by Bucks County state Reps. Joe Hogan, K.C. Tomlinson, and Sen. Frank Farry, along with Bucks County Sheriff Fred Harran, spoke about a new bill that would require DNA samples to be taken from people arrested for felonies and some misdemeanors.

Seven years after he raped her, Spence’s assailant was arrested for a different crime in California and linked to her attack through DNA. She founded the DNA Justice Project to push for states to change their laws so that DNA is taken for felony arrests, not just when a criminal is convicted. So far, 19 states do. Hogan, Tomlinson, Farry, and Harran want Pennsylvania to be next.

“This is something that we believe is important to the state of Pennsylvania,” said Hogan (R-Feasterville-Trevose). “Current law in Pennsylvania is that DNA is collected post-conviction for some crimes. The law notably excludes homicide (which is taken on arrest).”

The proposed law would require DNA collection for felony arrest. If a person is exonerated, their DNA will be taken out of the system. There is great potential for solving cold cases, like the Fairmount Park rapist, Hogan said. Just last year, DNA linked a suspect to several 2003 rapes and a murder.

“The changes we are proposing mean that when an individual is booked for one of these crimes, their DNA is taken at the same time as their fingerprint. These two procedures are fundamentally the same. But as we know, DNA is vastly more accurate,” said Hogan.

Tomlinson (R-Bensalem) said, “There is no denying we’ve all been seeing a steady rise in crime, not only in this state but across this country. Unfortunately, crime has become a real concern in my district. Over 40 percent of the individuals arrested and committing crime in my hometown do not even reside there.”

The DNA tests would also help prove a person was innocent, she added.

Farry (R-Bucks) said he would introduce a companion bill in the Senate.

“What we’ve seen is DNA is an incredible tool,” said Harran. “We’ve started doing some outside-the-box approaches using DNA, and we saw some significant crime reduction. But crime has been going up recently.”

“What I’ve found is in Pennsylvania, there’s a loophole,” said Harran, formerly Bensalem’s director of public safety. “We are one of 19 states that do not take DNA at the time of arrest, which is a mistake. DNA in Pennsylvania it’s taken once you’re convicted of a felony…That DNA that’s taken is way too late. We need to take DNA at the time of arrest…The Supreme Court has already talked about this in 2013 in a case (from) Maryland. DNA is just another tool. It’s probably one of the best tools I’ve seen in the last 38 years. We have some great crime reduction numbers to prove that.”

“In Lower Bucks County, 16 times we’ve used DNA to exonerate people,” said Harran. “This prevents crime. You’re getting criminals off the street immediately…And tomorrow, they will be one less victim out there.”

Spence said, “DNA is science. DNA is accurate. DNA is true.”

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The Bucks County Emergency Services Center CAD system spent nine days offline last month after hackers crashed it. Delaware County had a security breach in 2020. Hackers targeted the Aliquippa Water Authority in western Pennsylvania in November and disabled pressure monitoring equipment.

And over the weekend, Pennsylvania’s court system was hit with a disabling cyber attack.

In response to these and other threats to public agencies, the Senate Communications and Technology Committee and Senate Local Government Committee met with representatives of municipal governments, industry, and academia last week to discuss threats to vital systems and infrastructure.

“An unfortunate reality of our world is that no organization is immune to a cyberattack,” said Sen. Tracy Pennycuick (R-Montgomery/Berks), who chairs the Communications and Technology Committee. “The havoc and serious damage that these incursions can have on local governments, public authorities, and the people they serve are not only disruptive but also present a direct threat to public safety.”

Sen. Frank Farry (R-Bucks), who also serves as fire chief of the Langhorne-Middletown Fire Company, said the Bucks County CAD system automatically dispenses first responders to addressees.

“Our dispatchers literally had to do it manually,” said Farry. “They did a fantastic job.” But it was not as fast as the CAD system and also impacted record-keeping, he said.

Executive Director of IT and Chief Information Officer for York County, Joe Sassano, said the County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania (CCAP) is working with counties to address the growing threat.

“In York County, cybersecurity needs have driven most of our IT-related projects and, subsequently, most of our IT budget for the last several years,” Sassano said. “CCAP, counties, other local government organizations, and state agencies are already working together closely to improve security definitions and implement vital cybersecurity initiatives, conducting reoccurring quarterly meetings, an annual cybersecurity conference, security resources, and other projects.”

“The weak spot, we found, is the human element,” said John Berti of the Pennsylvania Municipal Authorities Association and the Wyoming Valley Sanitary Authority. Wyoming Valley implemented a “KnowBe4” security awareness service to help employees prevent email cyberattacks, he said.

Unisys, a corporation based in Blue Bell that provides security consulting services, sent two representatives to the hearing.

Unisys Regional Director John Alwine said many counties, cities, and other municipal entities “have learned the cost of not doing cyber security” and then trying to do damage control.

“The legislature and administration must seek out increased coordination amongst state IT users, foster greater recognition of security risks for state agencies, hold government IT leaders accountable in establishing a security path forward, and provide the resources necessary to implement such a strategy,” Alwine said.

Unisys Managing Principal Clifford Shier said, “There is a need for a statewide baseline.” The state, counties, and municipalities are all connected, as well as various vendors that log into systems.

Also, entities need to know what they have.

“Identification of what you have is key,” said Shier. He has “heard many times (someone) didn’t know this end-of-life piece of equipment is on (their) network or where (their) data was.”

Because protection may not be perfect and hackers, including hostile governments like Iran, try to break in, they must also plan for recovery.

“There will be a time you need to recover,” said Shier. “Don’t get rid of backups.”

Alwine said, “We need to develop a plan, fund it, execute it, and update it on a continual basis.”

Sen. Tim Kearney (D-Delaware), minority chair of the Local Government Committee, said, “It’s important for our communities to stay on top of this issue.”

“It’s going to require people to agree to the baseline (of security measures),” he said, and called on people to work together on the issue for  the “public good.”

“Somebody in York County might have an effect in Delaware County. We, as a society, have trouble with that. My county had a security breach, ransomware. They had insurance for it. They tried to keep it as quiet as possible. Nobody wants to talk about it,” Kearney said.

The Communications and Technology Committee recently approved a bill to protect information on state-owned devices from downloading and using TikTok. The full Senate passed that bill.

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