There has been some interest in the Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act (LEOSA) here in the past so I thought I'd pass along this update concerning retired LEOs in PA.
Updated info is in bold below:
Retired Law Enforcement Identification Act
On July 22, 2004, Congress enacted the Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act (LEOSA). The intent of LEOSA was to exempt qualified current and retired law enforcement officers from state laws prohibiting the carrying of concealed weapons while traveling from state to state. LEOSA requires that the retired law enforcement officer have a photographic identification card which identifies them as a retired law enforcement officer. LEOSA also requires that the retired law enforcement officer maintain an annual qualification with their firearm.
In response to LEOSA, on December 13, 2005, the Governor signed into law, Act 79, the Retired Law Enforcement Identification Act (RLEIA). RLEIA tasked the Municipal Police Officers’ Education and Training Commission (MPOETC) with establishing uniform identification and qualification cards for retired law enforcement officers and a method of conducting annual firearms qualifications for such individuals.
Under this law, MPOETC also had the duty to promulgate rules and regulations necessary to carry out the provisions of the Act. Essentially, this legislation provides a concealed carry permit for retired officers to travel throughout the country with a firearm.
Therefore, the identification cards must be of a quality that would reasonably be accepted as authentic in other jurisdictions, and contain the very specific information required by the Act, including multiple signatures. The identification card must be able to be produced for all retired officers, including many from very small police departments, for a cost of less than $15.00 per card.
Other regulations were necessary in order to provide for a database system to track the issuance of identification cards, qualification cards and qualified firearms instructors. Regulations have also been drafted to provide for the safe operation of the firearms qualification for participants who may have been retired for a significant period of time.
Regulations were approved by the Independent Regulatory Review Committee (IRRC) August 6, 2009 and will be sent to the Office of Attorney General. Following final review by the Office of Attorney General, a final version of the regulations will appear in the Pennsylvania Bulletin and implemented by the Municipal Police Officers' Education and Training Commission.
Until the regulations are in place, there is no provision for an individual to comply with this law. Please continue to visit this website for updated information regarding implementation of the Retired Law Enforcement Identification Act.
For more information go to:
Retired Law Enforcement Officers Identification and Qualification Cards
