Colorado police departments could get $75,000 to $500,000 each in grants for recruitment and 'building relationships,' but not many have applied
Thanks to bipartisan legislation passed through Colorado's State Capitol and signed by Governor Jared Polis, local law enforcement agencies and community organizations may be one step closer to having more funding to improve their relations with the community.
"Law Enforcement Workforce Grants" will soon be distributed throughout Colorado to agencies that apply through the state's Department of Public Safety.
"There is really some great stuff going on in Colorado," said Joe Thome, director of the Division of Criminal Justice at the Department of Public Safety.
Thome said he was looking forward to seeing how $15 million in grant money will be applied throughout the state by agencies seeking to improve their relationships with the community, while also prioritizing retention and recruiting.
"We have noticed the tension between communities and law enforcement over the past couple years," Thome said. "We understand that unless we find folks that the community can identify in and trust, a reflection of the community itself in terms of demographics, it becomes that much harder."
There are different types of grants the state has created. Those applying will have to submit proposals on how they would use the money to further improve policing within their region.
In a statement issued to CBS4, Governor Jared Polis said these grants will help increase and improve policing.
"To achieve our goal of making Colorado one of the ten safest states over the next five years, we need more and better policing," Polis said in the statement. "This important new support for police recruitment, retention, and training is one our state is stepping up to make Colorado communities safer."
Thome said the collaborative grants will also help agencies recruit and train more officers that better represent the demographics of the communities they serve.
"What we know is if law enforcement is only spending its time on enforcement and not on building relationships, that is where we have the problem," Thome said.
Thome expected applying agencies to receive anywhere from $75,000 to $500,000 each, depending on how many apply.
Several agencies CBS4 reached out to said they did not have plans to apply for the grants. Others, however, like Aurora and Denver, confirmed their plans to apply.
"We are applying for funds to enhance our online recruiting marketing presence through a professional vendor," a spokesperson for Aurora Police wrote, "and to finance and some leadership training initiatives."
"We are excited about the grant opportunities as a result of the last legislative session," a spokesperson for Denver Police wrote, in part.
"As for the recruitment and retention grants, every law enforcement agency across the country is experiencing difficulties associated with hiring and retaining top talent. We are looking for individuals from our community who want to be the change they want to see, while retaining the great women and men who currently work for the Denver Police Department."
"It becomes a strategy to figure out what is the best way for the state and community to work together on a shared interest in making our communities safer," Thome said.
