(EL PASO COUNTY, Colo.) — Proposition 130, known as “Back the Blue,” passed with 53% votes for the proposition, and 46% against as of Wednesday, Nov. 6, around 5:30 p.m. El Paso County Sheriff Joseph Roybal issued a statement thanking supporters of the initiative.
“I am pleased to see the passage of Proposition 130, the ‘Back the Blue’ initiative,” said Roybal. “Proposition 130 will help law enforcement hold criminals accountable, reduce victims, improve training and recruitment efforts, and ensure when heroes lay down their lives in service to their community, their families have appropriate financial security, granting them a secure foundation to grieve and heal.”
The initiative proposed a change to the Colorado Revised Statutes appropriating 350 million dollars to peace officer training and support funds for municipal and county law enforcement agencies. The funds expand agencies’ ability to hire and retain peace officers, covering pay, bonuses, training, and death benefits for families of fallen emergency responders.