Greensburg police Chief Walter J. "Wally" Lyons says people convicted of crimes should help pay some of the costs associated with booking them at regional centers.
"The equipment and the maintenance costs are extremely expensive, and by assessing a process fee it helps to offset the costs," Lyons said.
A bill passed this month by the state Senate and under review by the House judiciary committee would seek to allow an assessment of up to $200 as a booking-expense fee. The cost would be imposed on a defendant when sentenced by a judge.
A person is taken to a center after being arrested. At least four centers are in existence or proposed in Westmoreland County, all to be located at police stations and staffed by officers.
At the centers, a hand-scanning device takes a digital image of a defendant's palm and fingerprints. That information and a mugshot are transferred electronically to state police headquarters in Harrisburg.
State police enter the information into databases nationwide to determine a defendant's background quickly. Police chiefs said the fast response enables officers to know if the suspect is wanted by any federal, state or local law enforcement groups and enhances officer safety.
"Within 12 minutes or less we'll know ... if that person is wanted anywhere," said Rostraver police Chief Greg Resetar, president of the Westmoreland County Police Chiefs Association.
The Senate bill stemmed partly from a reluctance in Westmoreland County to assess the fee without a law being in place, center advocates said. Officials in other counties disagree with the need to have the law and currently tack on the costs, which vary from county to county.
There are 82 booking centers based at police stations statewide, said Jerry Miller, of the Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police Association. A smaller number of additional booking centers are staffed full time, he said.
"The majority of the centers do have the live scan" and photo image system, Miller said.
Six counties charge a fee, with Lebanon assessing the most at $250 and Mercer the least at $25 per person, according to the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency.
Six agencies operate booking centers in Allegheny County, which does not assess a fee, said Linda Rosenberg, of the crime commission.
She explained that the crime commission initially used federal grants to equip most of the booking centers, but much of that money has dried up.
The four regional booking centers will be located at Greensburg, Rostraver, Murrysville and New Kensington police stations. Murrysville and New Kensington already are operating, but a fee is not being charged. Some minor renovation or addition work was needed with each center, officials said.
Equipment for the live scan costs about $75,000 per booking center, Lyons said. A related data-line fee and equipment maintenance expenses add on another $12,000 annually per center, he said.
At the time of booking, the accused can be arraigned before a district judge via videoconferencing at the centers, Lyons and Resetar indicated.
In addition to the equipment, the fee could be used to offset staffing costs, Rosenberg said.
Police chiefs in Allegheny County said they liked the idea of establishing the fee.
"I can't see it being a bad thing because you have to constantly upgrade your equipment," said Robinson police Chief Dale Vietmeier.
Nate Silcox, legislative director for state Sen. Bob Regola, a Hempfield Township Republican and prime sponsor of the bill, said his group is optimistic about the measure's chances for passage.
An attempt last year failed because the bill went to the House judiciary committee shortly before the legislative session ended and was not voted on, advocates of the measure explained.
"We have time this year," Lyons said. "Hopefully, the House will vote for it."
