Criminal Justice

Senator Haywood supports law enforcement officers, who have an incredibly difficult job of policing in an armed society. The senator believes that police-community relations can be improved through the recommendations of the President’s Taskforce on 21^st Century Policing, including increased police training and independent investigations of police-involved deaths.

Senator Haywood has introduced legislation, SB400, which would establish an independent prosecutor to investigate and, if necessary, prosecute police officers involved in the deaths of Pennsylvania civilians. By removing the perceived conflict of interest between a local district attorney prosecuting a local police officer, the senator aims to increase trust in law enforcement. Restoring faith in our justice system in the aftermath of events in Ferguson, Baltimore and New York must be a priority for our commonwealth.

Our commonwealth has a track record of investing in incarceration instead of education.  Senator Haywood opposes mass incarceration, which has created a pipeline to prison for children across Pennsylvania. He supports an increase in education funding and a community-driven reading revolution to combat the pipeline to prison.

The senator encourages citizens to view safety and crime reduction as a community effort, and to support the work of law enforcement by keeping an eye out for suspicious activity. He supports the use of new technology and apps such as Nextdoor to increase communication between neighbors.