A proposal that would require Colorado lawmakers to allocate $350 million to support law enforcement agencies qualified for the November ballot last Thursday.
If approved, Proposed Initiative 157 would create a “Peace Officer Training and Support Fund” to help hire, train and retain new officers. State lawmakers would decide how to divide the grant money between various local police departments and sheriff’s offices. They would also decide on a timetable for when those payouts would occur.
Money from the fund would go toward things like expanded training, pay increases and recruitment of out-of-state officers.
The ballot measure would additionally require the state to start paying a one-time $1 million death benefit to families of first responders killed in the line of duty. The benefit would cover police officers, sheriff's deputies and firefighters. Families would still be entitled to any other death and disability benefits they would normally receive.
“Providing additional compensation for families of fallen officers upholds a social obligation to honor their sacrifice,” wrote the measure’s backers in arguments they submitted for the state’s nonpartisan voter guide. “Local law enforcement agency death benefits differ, with some providing fewer benefits than others. This measure guarantees that no matter where a fallen officer worked, their family will receive compensation for their loss.”
The nonpartisan Colorado Legislative Council estimates the death benefit would cost the state an average of $4 million per year. That money would come from the Peace Officer Training Fund until it runs out of cash, at which point lawmakers would need to pass a new appropriation to continue the payments.
Because the measure specifies that the state can’t raise taxes to pay for the new funding, the money would come from the state’s general budget, leaving less for other departments.
The measure, nicknamed by supporters the “Back the Blue” initiative, is backed by the conservative policy group, Advance Colorado, which was also at the heart of the recent legislative deal to pass new property tax reductions.
Secretary of State Jenna Griswold’s office said supporters of Initiative 157 submitted 185,889 petition signatures to put the issue before voters.
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