as introduced - 92nd Legislature (2021 - 2022) Posted on 02/11/2022 09:21am
A bill for an act
relating to public safety; appropriating money to provide reimbursements to law
enforcement agencies that have paid incentive bonuses to encourage individuals
to become peace officers; requiring a report; proposing coding for new law in
Minnesota Statutes, chapter 626.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
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The board may make reimbursement grants as
provided in this section to law enforcement agencies that have paid recruitment bonuses to
newly hired peace officers. Agencies may apply for grants on forms and as directed by the
board. The maximum amount of a grant is $10,000 per officer hired. An agency may apply
for multiple grants to cover multiple eligible bonuses. Grants are awarded at the discretion
of the board and are limited to the amount appropriated for this purpose.
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Law enforcement agencies may offer recruitment bonuses
to provide incentives to individuals to become peace officers with the agency. A
reimbursement grant under this section may be made only if the peace officer was hired
after having received notice of the availability of a recruitment bonus and only after the
agency has paid the bonus. An officer is eligible for a bonus upon reaching the officer's one
year anniversary of starting employment at the agency and only if the officer is a member
in good standing with the agency. A grant may be awarded only for a bonus paid to a newly
licensed peace officer hire. Grants may not reimburse bonuses paid to officers moving
laterally from other jurisdictions within the state or officers who previously served as
correctional officers within the state. If the demand for grants exceeds the amount
appropriated, the board shall award grants in a manner that ensures that grants are distributed
to agencies in a geographically balanced manner and also in a balanced manner in terms of
the size of the law enforcement agencies receiving grants.
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By January 15 of each year, the board shall report to the
chairs and ranking minority members of the legislative committees having jurisdiction over
criminal justice policy and funding on the grant program. At a minimum, the report must
provide detailed information on the grants awarded under this section, including the amount
of each grant and the recipient agency, and the number of new hires made in whole or in
part because of the grants.
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$....... is appropriated from the general fund for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023, to
the Peace Officer Standards and Training Board for the grant program described in section
1. The board may use up to 3.5 percent of this appropriation to administer the grant program.
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