HARRISBURG, June 9, 2015: Senator Art Haywood made the following statement in response to the Pennsylvania Senate vote to reject Marcus Brown as State Police Commissioner:
“Yesterday the Pennsylvania Senate voted to reject Governor Wolf’s nominee for State Police Commissioner, Marcus Brown. Mr. Brown has an amazing record of leadership in law enforcement including implementing crime-reduction strategies resulting in 40-year lows in Maryland homicides, creating homeland security programs that serve as national models, and reducing crimes against women and children in Maryland by 25% between 2007 and 2012. In addition, Mr. Brown has a fine record of bringing diversity to law enforcement, more than doubling the representation of minorities in Maryland State Police senior staff since 2011. Maryland now ranks as first in African-American representation among all State Police agencies in the mid-Atlantic.
We desperately need Mr. Brown’s leadership in Pennsylvania given the disgraceful track record for diversity within the Pennsylvanian State Troopers. Even with court-mandated changes to increase diversity, only 3% of our State Troopers are African-Americans. By denying Mr. Brown’s nomination, Pennsylvania lost an opportunity to build relationships and restore trust within minority communities. Given his incredible accomplishments and abilities in his field, the Pennsylvania Senate had no justifiable reason to deny Mr. Brown’s nomination. I am deeply disappointed in this decision.”
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Contact: Melissa Ostroff
215-517-1434
mostroff@pasenate.com