Bill Overview
Title: Refund the Police Act of 2022
Description: This bill authorizes the Bureau of Justice Assistance within the Department of Justice to make grants to state and local governments for the same purposes as grants under the Community Oriented Policing Services Program. To be eligible for a grant, a state or local government must certify that it does not have a law requiring a heighted standard for use of force and has taken steps to expand efforts to hire and retain law enforcement officers, and has not taken steps to eliminate drive-by shootings as a basis for first degree murder.
Sponsors: Rep. Herrera Beutler, Jaime [R-WA-3]
Target Audience
Population: People living in the United States
Estimated Size: 339000000
- The bill impacts state and local governments by providing grants that are directed at hiring and retaining law enforcement officers.
- Law enforcement officers could be directly impacted as the bill aims to increase their numbers and potentially their resources.
- Communities served by the police could be impacted both positively, by perceived increases in safety due to more officers, and negatively, by fears of over-policing if not carefully managed.
- There may be indirect impacts on minority communities who might be disproportionately affected by increased policing activities.
- The bill sets criteria for grant eligibility which could exclude certain states and regions from receiving funding if they do not comply.
Reasoning
- The policy provides grants aimed at supporting law enforcement, potentially increasing police presence in certain areas. We expect variations in the policy's impact depending on local jurisdiction's eligibility and community perceptions toward police.
- Some jurisdictions will prioritize meeting the grant requirements which could lead to increased hiring and resource allocation for police.
- The target population includes those living in areas eligible for these grants. This could include areas with existing lower police standards and those interested in expanding their police forces.
- Communities with high crime rates might experience improvements in safety perceptions. However, communities concerned about police violence or over-policing, especially minority communities, may experience heightened anxiety.
- There is a budget cap that restricts the scope of impact, limiting the number of jurisdictions and officers directly benefitting, but it can indirectly affect broader community well-being perceptions through changes in local policing policies.
Simulated Interviews
Police Officer (Baltimore, MD)
Age: 45 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I believe this policy will help us hire more officers, which is desperately needed.
- There are concerns about over-policing, but we engage often with our community, so I think we can handle it positively.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 3 |
Community Activist (Austin, TX)
Age: 30 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm worried this policy doesn't address the need for police reform.
- More officers doesn't necessarily mean safer communities, especially for minorities.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 4 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 4 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 4 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 3 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 3 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 3 | 4 |
Local Government Official (Bismarck, ND)
Age: 50 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy will benefit communities like ours with limited resources for policing.
- I am optimistic it will lead to reduced crime rates.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 3 |
College Student (Phoenix, AZ)
Age: 22 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm worried this could lead to more stop and frisks in my community.
- It feels like this policy is ignoring the reasons behind police reform movements.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 4 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 4 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 3 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 3 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 3 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 3 | 4 |
Small Business Owner (Detroit, MI)
Age: 38 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I hope this can decrease crime in my neighborhood.
- Increased police presence could help but needs to be fair and just.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 4 |
Bartender (New Orleans, LA)
Age: 27 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I feel safer knowing they might hire more officers.
- I just hope this doesn't mean they give up on community policing efforts.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 5 |
Retired Teacher (Seattle, WA)
Age: 67 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I fear that this could lead to more aggressive policing tactics.
- Our community needs more social services, not just more police.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 4 | 5 |
Software Engineer (Chicago, IL)
Age: 33 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I don't think more police is the answer here.
- This policy could ignore the real issues with police use of force.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 4 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 4 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 4 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 4 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 3 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 3 | 4 |
Police Department Clerk (Tucson, AZ)
Age: 41 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This should help offset the staffing shortages we've been facing.
- I do worry it may lead to less accountability.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 4 | 4 |
Farmer (Rural Kentucky)
Age: 58 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 20/20
Statement of Opinion:
- It might help some communities, but I'm not sure it will reach us out here.
- There are other priorities than just more policing.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 4 | 4 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $250000000 (Low: $200000000, High: $300000000)
Year 2: $255000000 (Low: $205000000, High: $310000000)
Year 3: $260000000 (Low: $210000000, High: $320000000)
Year 5: $270000000 (Low: $220000000, High: $340000000)
Year 10: $300000000 (Low: $250000000, High: $380000000)
Year 100: $400000000 (Low: $300000000, High: $500000000)
Key Considerations
- The policy focuses on law enforcement funding which could have significant socio-political implications.
- Measurements of policy success should consider both crime rates and community-police relations.
- Eligibility criteria may limit fund distribution to jurisdictions with more traditional policing policies.