Small law enforcement agency grant pilot program. (FE)

What it would have done

Summary by the Legislative Reference Bureau, the Legislature's nonpartisan drafting office. It's their wording, not ours.

This bill requires the Department of Administration to establish and administer a pilot program to provide grants to small law enforcement agencies to pay training costs for new law enforcement and tribal law enforcement officers. The bill defines “small law enforcement agency” to mean a police department, tribal police department, combined protective services department, or sheriff’s office that employs no more than 25 full-time equivalent, nonsupervisory law enforcement or tribal law enforcement officers. Under the bill, an agency may apply for a grant if it receives notice that a currently employed officer will be leaving or retiring from the agency within six months or if the agency has at least a 20 percent vacancy rate in its authorized officer positions.

The bill requires the grants be used only to pay for training a student who is enrolled in a program to become a law enforcement or tribal law enforcement officer and for the on-the-job training costs the agency incurs during the first six months of that individual’s employment. The bill requires any individual whose training is paid for under the pilot program to commit to work for the small law enforcement agency for one year following the training. If the individual does not fulfill the commitment because he or she voluntarily leaves employment or is terminated for cause, DOA may seek repayment from the individual of the training costs on a prorated basis. Under the bill, the pilot program terminates 18 months after all grant funding has been disbursed.

Who's behind it

4 senators are its authors⁠. 3 are Democrats and 1 is a Republican.

30 more lawmakers signed on in support⁠.