State Police won't lead probes when Philly cops shoot suspects

The Philadelphia Police Department is no longer pursuing the idea of having the Pennsylvania State Police take over investigations when city officers shoot people.

The approach was championed last year by former Commissioner Charles H. Ramsey as the department began implementing 91 federally recommended reforms for its policies on use of deadly force.

In a statement Friday, the department said "the efforts to create this type of system face a few challenges," including "issues raised by the union surrounding collective bargaining agreements, as well as some logistical issue[s] for the state police."

The decision, first reported Thursday by the website the Declaration, likely marks the end of what had been an uphill battle.

John McNesby, president of Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 5, said last year that inviting an outside agency to investigate police shootings would violate the union's labor agreement.

The U.S. Department of Justice, which reviewed Philadelphia's police shooting protocols at Ramsey's request, had recommended that the department establish a "single investigative unit" for officer-involved shootings, but did not suggest that another agency take over altogether.

The Police Department said Friday that it was working on creating a process for investigating police-involved shootings, and that it may include the state police in some capacity.

As of December, the month of the most recently available progress report from the Justice Department, Philadelphia Police had fully or partially implemented 82 of 91 recommendations for its use-of-force policies.

cpalmer@phillynews.com

215-854-2817

@cs_palmer