Former Orlando Police Chief and current U.S. Representative Val Demings, who is also running for U.S. Senate against Sen. Marco Rubio, is a cosponsor on new legislation to fund police with Democrats and Republicans in the House. The Invest in Law Enforcement Act of 2022 would provide funding to local police departments in Florida and across the country through a grants program.
“As a former Chief of Police, I am proud to join with Democratic and Republican colleagues on this bill to fund our police,” said Rep. Demings. “After a 27 year career, I know that smaller police departments across Florida face particular challenges in recruitment, training, retention, and officer wellness. I strongly support these additional federal resources which will fund police departments looking to hire and support officers with the right qualifications. These investments will ensure higher levels of training and accountability. I look forward to working with my Democratic and Republican colleagues to get this bill passed and fund Florida’s police departments and their important mission.”
The bipartisan Invest in Law Enforcement Act of 2022 is endorsed by the Fraternal Order of Police, National Sheriffs Association, National Troopers Coalition, Police Benevolent Association, National Association of Police Organizations, and State Troopers Fraternal Association’s endorsement. Police departments with 200 officers or less make up over 90% of departments nationally.
The bill will establish a grant program to be administered by the Director of COPS within the Department of Justice. Grants awarded by the program can be used for the following purposes:
- Grants to local police departments to fund training for municipalities with less than 200 police officers:
- De-escalation Training
- Domestic violence Training
- Officer Safety Training
- A provision to offset overtime costs for scheduling issues when officers are in training.
- Grants to fund body cameras for municipalities with less than 200 police officers
- Includes money for storing and securing body cam data
- Requires granting agency to provide boilerplate privacy and storage practices guidelines to departments that do not have them (to ensure safety and privacy).
- Grants for police departments recruitment of new officers for municipalities with less than 200 police officers
- Funds can used for signing bonuses and retention bonuses
- Allows grant funds to be used for officers from eligible departments who are pursuing graduate education in mental health, public health, and social work to receive up to $10,000 towards their tuition.
- Grants for Mental Health service, treatments, and therapy for police officers: allowing departments the flexibility to determine the best approach to meeting their officers mental health needs.
- The amount to be appropriated to carry out grant program would be $50M annually for five years.
