Bill Overview
Title: Pathways to Policing Act
Description: This bill authorizes the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services within the Department of Justice to award grants to states, local governments, and law enforcement agencies to support recruitment of law enforcement officers. In particular, these grants may be used for (1) marketing and recruitment campaigns to encourage candidates to seek careers in law enforcement; and (2) developing, operating, or expanding Pathways to Policing programs (e.g., programs that facilitate entry into full-time law enforcement positions for certain candidates).
Sponsors: Rep. Phillips, Dean [D-MN-3]
Target Audience
Population: Individuals seeking careers in law enforcement
Estimated Size: 1025000
- The bill is aimed at recruitment of law enforcement officers, which affects potential job seekers in the law enforcement sector.
- Law enforcement agencies will be directly impacted as they will receive grants to facilitate recruitment.
- State and local governments will also be involved as they can partake in programs funded by this bill to enhance their policing recruitment pipelines.
- Communities served by law enforcement may be indirectly impacted as the bill could potentially alter the number and type of police officers available.
- Education and training institutions that partner with law enforcement for Pathways to Policing programs may experience increased demand.
Reasoning
- The policy primarily targets individuals who are considering a career in law enforcement, which is approximately 2% of the working-age population.
- The grants will support marketing and recruitment, benefiting law enforcement agencies directly by enhancing their recruitment capabilities.
- Indirectly, communities served by expanded or diversified policing forces may experience changes in community-law enforcement dynamics.
- The policy's impact on education and training institutions will be determined by how many diversify or expand their pathways programs in response to increased demand.
- With a total budget of over $2 billion over 10 years, the policy has a substantial potential to impact the law enforcement sector.
Simulated Interviews
Criminal Justice Student (Chicago, IL)
Age: 22 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I believe this policy will make it easier for people like me to pursue a career in law enforcement.
- The grants could mean more support and training opportunities, which is crucial for someone starting out.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 5 |
Community Organizer (Phoenix, AZ)
Age: 35 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I am worried this policy might increase recruitment without addressing needed reforms in policing.
- It could be an opportunity, however, to bring more diversity into law enforcement agencies.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 5 |
Police Chief (Dallas, TX)
Age: 45 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Increasing recruitment efforts is essential, and this policy provides the resources to do it effectively.
- The challenge will be ensuring recruits are well-trained and align with modern policing values.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 6 |
Police Officer (Seattle, WA)
Age: 28 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- It could help in getting more officers which is good, but I hope it also focuses on community engagement.
- It's a step forward, but the program’s success will rely on its execution.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
Retired Officer (Detroit, MI)
Age: 60 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I see this as a good opportunity for young folks to enter the field with strong support.
- It should include mentoring programs to help guide the new recruits.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
Law Student (New York, NY)
Age: 30 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 11/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Additional funding for police recruitment raises ethical concerns unless coupled with reform measures.
- Grants could be positive if used to diversify the forces and improve community relationships.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 4 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 4 | 4 |
Volunteer at Community Center (Atlanta, GA)
Age: 24 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy might open up new career pathways for someone like me who wants to serve my community.
- It would be great if these programs also emphasized building trust within communities.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 5 |
Community College Instructor (Los Angeles, CA)
Age: 50 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Increased resources for recruitment can lead to better education and training opportunities in my courses.
- It's important that this leads to more educated officers who understand modern-day policing challenges.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 7 |
Unemployed, considering policing (Miami, FL)
Age: 29 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This program might just be the chance I need to enter the police force and secure a job.
- Having structured pathways could make the process less intimidating.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 5 |
City Council Member (Rural Kansas)
Age: 58 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 2/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Grants from this policy could support programs we need to build stronger community-police partnerships.
- It's all about ensuring these initiatives align with community needs.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $200000000 (Low: $150000000, High: $250000000)
Year 2: $205000000 (Low: $155000000, High: $260000000)
Year 3: $210125000 (Low: $159750000, High: $265000000)
Year 5: $220653125 (Low: $167750000, High: $275000000)
Year 10: $243073000 (Low: $185000000, High: $300000000)
Year 100: $385000000 (Low: $275000000, High: $500000000)
Key Considerations
- The cost is dependent on the scale and scope of programs developed under this bill.
- Potential variations in federal grant allocations could significantly alter total costs.
- Local and state investment matching could alleviate some federal cost burden.