The Pennsylvania State Police have taken a giant step toward improving the department's image, and the new policies that have been implemented should not go unnoticed.

However, it remains troubling that an attitude formerly existed within the department that allowed some troopers to feel comfortable perpetrating wrongdoing because they knew they would be subject to little or no punishment.

According to documents released as part of a May 2003 lawsuit against former Trooper Michael K. Evans, a total of 118 sexual misconduct complaints were lodged against state police employees from 1995 to 2001 and ranged from sexual harassment of female troopers to drug use and gang rape. As for Evans, he is currently serving a five- to 10-year prison sentence for abusing six women and teenage girls he encountered while on duty.

Among Evans' victims were a domestic abuse victim, a psychiatric patient and a 14-year-old runaway.

Evans could be regarded as "every police department's nightmare."

Had the new, beefed-up policies been in effect when Evans' first incidents of abuse occurred, perhaps he would have been suspended, or at least been assigned to desk duty, until the accusations were investigated and ascertained as being true.

State Police Commissioner Jeffrey B. Miller says the changes, resulting from an arbitration decision between the state police and the Pennsylvania State Troopers Association, represent a "total sea change for the future of the agency." He labeled the former system "broken," and Evans' case cements that description as accurate.

"Now, particularly with the serious discipline cases, we're not handcuffed anymore," Miller said. "We can investigate them the way we want to, and hand down the punishments that we deem appropriate."

Among the policy changes that have been put in place are:

A new code of conduct under which troopers found guilty of sexual misconduct or harassment, domestic violence and drug use will be fired immediately.

An end to the practice of waiting until arbitration is concluded before issuing punishments.

An end to court-appointed arbitrators' power to reduce the punishments of troopers guilty of serious violations.

Mandatory investigation of all anonymous or unsigned complaints against troopers.

In addition, a toll-free number - 866-426-9164 - has been established for the public to report allegations against troopers.

A September 2003 report by state Inspector General Donald L. Patterson planted the seed for the policy changes that have evolved. Patterson's scrutiny of the state police revealed a pattern of inconsistency regarding discipline, as well as instances when discipline was too lenient for the infraction committed.

The state police should be regarded with respect by right-thinking Pennsylvania residents and others who travel to the commonwealth. Since the allegations about Evans became public, some people understandably pondered whether some troopers were worse criminals than the people they were arresting.

There might still be a "bad apple" or two, even with the new policies in effect. But the prospects are much better now that protracted wrongdoing like Evans was able to carry out will be much more quickly ascertained and addressed.

That is good for the state police, as well as the public.