Are you considering becoming a police officer? Now may be the time to do it as Congress seeks to increase incentives to help police forces across New York State and the nation fill their dwindling ranks.
Senators Mark Kelly (D-AZ) and Josh Hawley (R-MO) introduced the Educational and Career Opportunities for Public Safety (EdCOPS) Act of 2024, bipartisan legislation to support local law enforcement recruitment and retention efforts. Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY) from Rockland County and Yadira Caraveo (D-CO) co-sponsored the Act in the House of Representatives.
EdCOPS Act of 2024 “amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to provide education assistance to public safety officers, and for other purposes.
Suffolk County Police Benevolent Association President Lou Civello said, "We face a national crisis recruiting and retaining law enforcement officers. The Bipartisan EdCOPS Act is an important step in addressing this critical issue. The EdCOPS Act is an investment in the next generation of our nation's police officers and will help ensure we have highly trained and well-educated people protecting us."
Law enforcement agencies across the country face a historic crisis in hiring and keeping qualified candidates. The EdCOPS Act hopes to address this by providing education benefits to public safety officers and their dependents.
“As crime rates rise and law enforcement agencies experience staffing shortages, Congress must ensure that states have the resources they need to attract and retain high-quality police officers. This bill would do just that by investing in the men and women in blue who keep our communities safe,” said Hawley.
A 2023 Police Executive Research study shows that police agencies are losing officers faster than they can hire new ones. The study reports that agencies saw 50 percent more resignations from officers in 2022 than in 2019, and total sworn officer staffing has dropped nearly 5 percent over the past three years.
Under this bill, a public safety officer who has served for eight years and commits to serving four more for a single employer is eligible to receive financial assistance to attend a program of higher education. An eligible public safety officer can also transfer their unused education benefits to their dependent.
“Law enforcement agencies across the country serving urban, rural, big, and small communities are struggling to retain qualified officers. Education benefits have proven not only to increase officer loyalty towards their department but also improve officer performance and allow for greater promotion within the department. Under the EdCOPS Act, officers can choose to use the education assistance for themselves or their children, creating opportunities that benefit their families,” said Bill Johnson, Executive Director, National Association of Police Organizations.
Supporters of the bill include the National Association of Police Organizations (NAPO), Major County Sheriffs of America (MCSA), Coconino County Sheriff’s Office, Pima County Sheriff’s Office, Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office, Nogales Police Department, Tucson Police Department, Flagstaff Police Department, Prescott Valley Police Department, Phoenix Law Enforcement Association (PLEA), and the Combined Law Enforcement Association of Arizona (CLEAA).