With its passage through the House last week, the Recruit and Retain Act (S. 546) is headed for President Joe Biden, bringing with it a possible expansion of the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) grant program to back law enforcement recruitment efforts.
Originally introduced in the Senate by Deb Fischer (R-NE) and Chris Coons’ (D-DE), its companion legislation was introduced in the House by U.S. Reps. Wesley Hunt (R-TX) and Glenn Ivey (D-MD). All saw it as a way to address staffing shortages through federal incentives, including the creation of a new program to encourage partnerships between schools and police departments.
“The law enforcement staffing crisis nationwide is not slowing down and continues to threaten public safety,” Fischer said. “My Recruit and Retain Act will reduce hiring costs and create local workforce pipelines to build a new generation of police. I want to thank Nebraska’s law enforcement officers who helped design the legislation, as well as my colleagues for their overwhelming support. I look forward to seeing this bill signed into law.”
The bill would also expand the COPS program at large by allowing its funds to be used to reduce application-related fees – such as background check fees – and urge the Department of Justice (DOJ) to award competitive grants to recruitment partnerships between law enforcement agencies and educational institutions starting as early as elementary school.
“Recruiting and retaining highly trained law enforcement professionals is of the utmost importance,” Ivey said. “Our ability to attract and develop the best, brightest and most compassionate and dedicated men and women of differing backgrounds is vital to the health and well-being of our nation. Keeping our residents safe and promoting better relations with our citizenry can only lead to safer streets and better policing.”
The bill was backed by law enforcement groups from across the country, including the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association, Fraternal Order of Police, Major Cities Chiefs Association, Major County Sheriffs of America, National Association of Police Organizations, National Sheriffs Association, R Street Institute, and the Peace Officers Research Association of California.