Buckner, Cooke Team Up on Bipartisan Community Safety Investment Act to Tackle Crime, Create a Safer Colorado
SB22-145 will establish critical crime prevention programs, address workforce shortages in law enforcement
DENVER, CO – On Wednesday, March 2nd, Senator Janet Buckner (D- Aurora) and Senator John Cooke (R- Greeley) introduced the Community Safety Investment Act to improve safety and address recruitment, retention, and training concerns in law enforcement agencies across the state.
Research shows that crime prevention strategies that include collaboration between communities and local law enforcement work best. The Community Safety Investment Act will create three grant programs in the Department of Public Safety:
The first grant program will provide law enforcement agencies and local governments with $15 million over two years to implement data-driven intervention strategies such as co-responder programs, investing in mental health centers, violence interrupter programs, early intervention teams, and restorative justice services in identified high-crime areas.
The second grant program will provide law enforcement agencies with $7.5 million over two years to help recruit and retain staff, as well as improve training curriculums, including mental health training.
The third grant program - the State’s Mission for Assistance in Recruitment and Training (SMART) policing grant - will provide $7.5 million over two years to help recruit and train officers that better represent the communities they serve.
“Every Coloradan deserves to feel safe in their community, but like the rest of the country, crime has been on the rise here in Colorado, which is why we’re taking action,” Buckner said. “This bipartisan bill will provide critical resources to help communities cut down on crime, address law enforcement workforce shortages, and get folks in crisis the help they need to prevent crime from occurring in the first place. I am proud to champion this common sense legislation, and I look forward to reducing crime and creating a safer Colorado for us all."
“I’m very happy to see this legislation garner bipartisan support,” Senator Cooke commented. “Part of the Republican Commitment to Colorado is to prioritize public safety by providing better training to police officers and recruiting and retaining officers that better represent the communities they protect. This bill will do just that. We have a real opportunity here to help the people of Colorado and slow the spiking crime rate we have seen in recent years.”
The bill also establishes a front-end stakeholder crime prevention forum, and provides funding for oversight and administration within the Colorado Department of Public Safety which will administer the grant programs.
Law enforcement advocates praised the legislation:
"I support SB 22-145, Resources to Increase Community Safety, as it is a positive step toward the overall goal of reducing crime in our communities while continuing to build partnerships with the citizens our law enforcement agencies serve,” said Montrose Chief of Police Chief of Police Blaine Hall. “SB 22-145 provides grant funding for Colorado Law Enforcement agencies to hire, recruit, and retain law enforcement officers to meet our current hiring shortages. Furthermore, it includes funding for apprenticeship programs allowing law enforcement agencies to be creative in recruiting locals in our communities to serve in the police profession. Finally, expanding the partnerships between law enforcement and our mental health providers is key to growing mental health co-responder programs and immediately applying mental health services to those in crisis. As proposed, I recommend it receives full Colorado legislative support.”
“Crime prevention programs are an essential component of keeping our communities safe,” said 17th District Attorney Brian Mason. "This bill funds co-responder programs, mental health centers and diversion programs, all of which are proven to help keep people out of the criminal justice system. I strongly support the Governor’s proposal and urge the Senate to adopt it.”
“I appreciate the collaborative approach and the opportunity offered to criminal justice professionals to participate in working to strengthen public safety in our communities,” said Thornton Chief of Police Terrence T. Gordon. “Public safety is neither a spectator sport nor the sole province of any expert or governmental body. If any one of us sets out to reduce the unacceptably high rates of victimization or serve our communities individually without respecting the voices of all concerned, we will have already failed.”
“This bipartisan bill is an important step forward in supporting multidisciplinary responses to crime and resources for our law enforcement officers as we work together to ensure safe and healthy communities for all in Colorado,” said First District Attorney Alexis King.
The Community Safety Investment Act will be heard in the Senate Local Government Committee. You can follow the bill's progress HERE.