Finding and retaining police officers has been a struggle for some departments in Colorado, but supporters of Proposition 130 on November’s ballot say it will help.
“I think we all know that our law enforcement personnel are underpaid,” said Michael Fields, the president of Advance Colorado . “They are people who are putting their lives on the line as crime has increased. They’re fighting drugs and all different kinds of things in our state. And they don’t get paid enough.”
Advance Colorado pushed to get Proposition 130 on the ballot.
It would require the state to provide $350 million to help local police departments recruit, train and retain officers. The funding can be used to increase pay for officers, provide hiring and retention bonuses, and provide ongoing training. It would also require the state to provide a one-time $1 million death benefit to help families of police officers who are killed in the line of duty.
The money would be distributed by the Colorado Department of Public Safety