Sen. Byrne has introduced SB 129 which provides for reimbursement to a unit of government that pays for an officer’s basic training if the officer goes to work for a new employer. This seems to be a particularly pressing issue for smaller units of government to which basic training is a bigger percentage of the budget and which also likely can’t afford to pay the higher salaries. So, a new officer gets hired by a smaller city or county; gets some training on that unit’s dime; and, now having training and experience, goes to work for a bigger agency to make more money.
The bill lists the eligible expenses and then provides that, if an officer is hired by a new agency within one year of completing basic training, the new employer has to reimburse the old employer 100% of the eligible costs; 2/3 of the eligible costs between one and two years; and 1/3 of the eligible costs between two and three years. If the officer goes on to a third employer, there is language allowing the second employer to recoup some of what it paid to the first employer.
The downside of this is that it will tend to inhibit an officer’s ability to leave a bad situation and go to a better one or generally seek employment as he or she sees fit. (In some cases, however, it might enhance the employability if the officer is working for a unit of government that imposes more draconian reimbursement requirements.)
It will be interesting to see how this one plays out.
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