U.S. Rep. Morrison Visits Plymouth To Promote Police Recruiting Bill
A federal bill aims to increase funding for police recruitment and retention efforts.
It comes as more than half of police departments across the country say they’ve reduced services due to staffing shortages.
“When we let these staffing shortages go unaddressed, we risk the safety of our communities, and we also risk the safety of our officers,” said U.S. Rep. Kelly Morrison, who represents Minnesota’s Third Congressional District.
Morrison is an author of the Pathways to Policing Act. She spoke on the bill Monday in Plymouth, where police staffing is down about 10 percent.
“Plymouth Police Department, we are roughly seven officers down right now, close to that 10 percent,” said Plymouth Police Chief Erik Fadden. “It feels as if, you know, our officers that are out working the street feel like we are really short.”
The bill would offer $50 million in competitive grants to help police departments pay officers a salary while they’re in school or in training.
Plymouth Police Chief Erik Fadden speaks at a press conference Monday.
The goal is to target non-traditional hires that may want to make a career shift.
“Those folks that have gone to college, are in a different career, and it just doesn’t make sense for them to quit what they’re doing or keep a full time job while they’re raising a family or reduce hours at work so they can go to school full-time,” Fadden said. “This provides an avenue to kind of take down those financial barriers.”
According to Fadden, a local version of the program helped the department hire three new officers.
Morrison wants to see that program get federal funding.
“Well it’s a start. It’s better than zero dollars right?” she said. “So it’s $50 million for the advertising campaign, the marketing campaign, and then $50 million to support the candidates in different ways.”
However, the political climate in Washington D.C. can make any bill tough to pass.
“I’m optimistic, I’m optimistic,” Morrison said. “We’re living in some pretty interesting and hyper-partisan times to say the least. But I think most people agree about the importance of good law enforcement.”
