Bill Overview
Title: A bill to amend the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to provide that COPS grant funds may be used for local law enforcement recruits to attend schools or academies if the recruits agree to serve in precincts of law enforcement agencies in their communities.
Description: This bill allows funds under the Community Oriented Policing Services grant program to be used to provide training to officers and recruits who agree to serve in law enforcement agencies in their communities.
Sponsors: Sen. Peters, Gary C. [D-MI]
Target Audience
Population: Individuals involved or interested in joining local law enforcement
Estimated Size: 600000
- There are approximately 700,000 sworn law enforcement officers in the United States. This number provides a scope for current personnel engaged in law enforcement who could benefit from improved resources and training opportunities.
- The target population will primarily include recruits and potential recruits who plan to join law enforcement in their local communities, increasing the pool of new recruits by making training more accessible through grant funds.
- The bill may affect community members by potentially increasing the number of officers in local law enforcement, hence improving public safety and community relationships.
- Given that the COPS program is focused on community policing, the specific community-targeted focus of the grants will primarily affect communities with under-resourced law enforcement agencies in the US.
- Indirectly, communities in the US will benefit as the recruits trained through these funds commit to serving in their local precincts.
Reasoning
- The policy is aimed at enhancing local law enforcement via grants for officer training, so the primary impact will be on law enforcement personnel and potential recruits. This will also have indirect effects on the communities they serve.
- The funding is primarily targeted towards officers agreeing to serve in their communities, which suggests a focus on community-oriented policing. As such, communities with under-resourced law enforcement will likely see a greater impact.
- The average annual cost for training a police officer ranges from $40,000 to $60,000. With a budget of $80,000,000 in the first year, the policy could directly fund training for approximately 1,600 to 2,000 officers.
- There are an estimated 700,000 sworn law enforcement officers in the US and over 18,000 local precincts. Given the number of precincts, funds might be distributed unevenly, with a focus on areas most in need.
- While direct impacts are on officers and recruits, broader community benefits could include improved public safety and community relations, thus indirectly affecting the general population to a lesser extent.
- Certain precincts may not receive significant direct benefits if they are already well-resourced or have low recruit intake, leading to uneven policy impact.
- For recruits themselves, the policy could substantially lower financial barriers to joining law enforcement, potentially raising the appeal of entering this career.
Simulated Interviews
Police Recruit (Rural Ohio)
Age: 24 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I think the policy is a great step. Funding training is crucial, especially in areas like ours where we can't afford much.
- It will definitely help me and others who want to join the force but are worried about costs.
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 | 9 | 5 |
Veteran Police Officer (Urban New York)
Age: 37 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I support anything that helps bring in more recruits prepared for the job.
- In my precinct, we're less affected since we have good training programs, but I can see this helping smaller precincts immensely.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
Community Activist (Suburban California)
Age: 30 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 15.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Funding that focuses on community policing training is essential.
- The policy aligns with our goals of improving police-community interactions, so I believe it will have a long-term positive impact.
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 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
Police Chief (Southern Texas)
Age: 45 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This funding could be a game-changer in retaining officers who leave due to inadequate training opportunities.
- Our community really needs this boost to keep good officers and attract new ones.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 5 |
Prospective Law Enforcement Recruit (Midwest USA)
Age: 32 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy funding would remove a huge barrier for someone like me who's been saving up for training.
- It makes the idea of joining the police much less daunting financially.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 4 |
Police Officer (Chicago, Illinois)
Age: 26 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm new to the force, and having this kind of financial backing is reassuring.
- Ongoing training is so important, and knowing the costs are covered helps me focus on doing my job well.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 7 |
Community Leader (Newark, New Jersey)
Age: 50 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 15.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- More officers trained and staying in our community could lead to better relationships and safer streets.
- I think the policy helps emphasize that investing in local law enforcement is investing in the community.
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 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
College Student (Western Pennsylvania)
Age: 21 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- If the costs of training are lower, it makes pursuing a career in law enforcement a lot more appealing.
- This policy could definitely influence my decision to join the police force after graduating.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 6 |
Retired Police Officer (Atlanta, Georgia)
Age: 55 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- It's good to see an initiative focused on keeping new recruits in the communities they come from.
- I've seen firsthand how training deficiencies can lead to high turnover, so this policy might really help address that issue.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 5 |
High School Senior (Northern Minnesota)
Age: 19 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy could really open doors for people like me who are interested in joining the police but can't afford the cost of training.
- Knowing there's financial support makes me more confident about pursuing this career path after graduation.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 5 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $80000000 (Low: $70000000, High: $100000000)
Year 2: $80000000 (Low: $70000000, High: $100000000)
Year 3: $80000000 (Low: $70000000, High: $100000000)
Year 5: $80000000 (Low: $70000000, High: $100000000)
Year 10: $80000000 (Low: $70000000, High: $100000000)
Year 100: $80000000 (Low: $70000000, High: $100000000)
Key Considerations
- Existing COPS funding sources might be diverted, affecting other community policing initiatives.
- The success of the initiative heavily depends on community engagement and willingness to serve in local precincts.
- Cost fluctuations depend on the number of qualifying recruits and training program specifics per locality.