2024 -- H 7259

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LC003837

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2024

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J O I N T   R E S O L U T I O N

MAKING AN APPROPRIATION OF $1,000,000 TO THE RHODE ISLAND DEPARTMENT

OF LABOR AND TRAINING TO ENCOURAGE MEMBERS OF THE STATE, CITY, AND

TOWN POLICE DEPARTMENTS TO SEEK A COLLEGE DEGREE

     

     Introduced By: Representatives Donovan, Speakman, Noret, Potter, Cotter, Fogarty, and
Shallcross Smith

     Date Introduced: January 19, 2024

     Referred To: House Finance

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     WHEREAS, Rhode Island General Law Title 42 Chapter 28.1 established an incentive

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pay plan program to encourage law enforcement officers to garner a college degree and work

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collaboratively with academia to address modern policing issues and learn the criminal justice

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system from an academic view; and

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     WHEREAS, The net benefit of this program would be to provide the State’s populace

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with both properly trained and college-educated officers who possess the best skill set in order to

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deliver the highest outcomes expected in policing; and

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     WHEREAS, The 2015 President’s Task Force on 21st-Century Policing stated that

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college-educated police officers are 40 percent less likely to use force, are more problem-solving-

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orientated and critical thinkers, relate better to the community, can identify best practices, and are

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better leaders; now, therefore be it

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     RESOLVED, That there is hereby appropriated, out of any money in the treasury not

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otherwise appropriated for the fiscal year 2024-2025, the sum of one million dollars ($1,000,000)

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to the Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training to encourage members of the State, City,

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and Town police departments to seek a college degree; and the state controller is hereby

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authorized and directed to draw his orders upon the general treasurer for the payment of said sum,

 

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upon receipt of properly authenticated vouchers.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

J O I N T   R E S O L U T I O N

MAKING AN APPROPRIATION OF $1,000,000 TO THE RHODE ISLAND DEPARTMENT

OF LABOR AND TRAINING TO ENCOURAGE MEMBERS OF THE STATE, CITY, AND

TOWN POLICE DEPARTMENTS TO SEEK A COLLEGE DEGREE

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     This resolution would authorize the appropriation of the sum of $1,000,000 to the Rhode

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Island Department of Labor and Training.

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LC003837

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