Legislation would boost recruitment of police officers in state and local departments

The Pathways to Policing Act invests in programs to assist state and local police departments with recruiting new officers.

The legislation is led by U.S. Rep. Dean Phillips of Minnesota and endorsed by the National Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) and the Major Cities Chiefs Association.

U.S. Rep. Abigail Spanberger, a former federal law enforcement officer, announced Thursday her cosponsorship to address police officer shortages and boost recruitment in Virginia and across the U.S.

The Police Executive Research Forum found in a June 2021 survey that police departments on average were filling 93 percent of available budgeted positions. The survey also revealed a 45 percent increase in retirements and an 18 percent increase in resignations in the last year.

“For years, the men and women of our local police departments have shared with me the challenges they are facing in recruiting new officers,” Spanberger said in a press release Thursday. “As I work at the federal level to protect our communities and keep Virginians safe, I understand that we must make sure departments have the resources necessary to attract and train quality candidates. This bipartisan legislation would help alleviate the financial barriers facing Virginians who want to protect and serve their neighbors, as well as bring on more officers from diverse backgrounds to make sure that our local departments look like the communities they serve. Strong police departments are essential to keeping our communities safe, and I’m proud to join this bipartisan effort to address the real challenges facing officers in Virginia and across our country.”

The legislation would authorize $50 million per year to Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) office at the U.S. Department of Justice to market and recruit across the country, and also create grants for state and local departments to provide financial support for candidates while pursuing an education in law enforcement. Funding would be provided for programs to assist state and local law enforcement agencies that are struggling to recruit officers.