COLORADO — In November, Colorado voters will decide whether to give $350 million in state funding to local law enforcement agencies across the state and a one-time $1 million payment to families of first responders killed in the line of duty.
Proponents of Proposition 130, also called the "Back the Blue" initiative, say the goal is to help recruit, retain, and train officers. If passed, the $350 million in funding would be divided between local law enforcement agencies and could be used for salary increases, hiring and retention bonuses, more training, and establishing more law enforcement to address specific areas or types of crime, like gang activity and stolen vehicles.
The group Advance Colorado pushed to get Proposition 130 on November's ballot.
Rachael Flick, the widow of fallen El Paso County Sheriff's Deputy Micah Flick, supports Proposition 130 because she said it would give agencies the ability to hire more officers and crack down on crime. She said a $1 million death benefit would've helped her family immensely when some of their victim compensation funds ran out.
“When Micah passed away, I had no idea what was coming next in our financial situation. It had drastically changed in one day," she said.
Since her husband died in 2018, Rachael has served four years on the Colorado Springs Law Enforcement Transparency and Advisory Commission (LETAC), which works to improve the relationship between police and the public while listening to the needs of law enforcement. She said higher pay and more training are a few things agencies could use.
“Good law enforcement really involves an element of the competitive employment market," she said. "It’s a very unsafe profession. You potentially go into your job every day willing to risk everything."
Some against Proposition 130, including the Colorado Fiscal Institute (CFI), said the $350 million would come out of the state's general fund, which could take money away from other needs.
"We really see investing $350 million towards something like public education, housing, health care would be more effective at promoting public safety," said Sophie Shea, a CFI policy analyst.
Shea said increasing funding for law enforcement agencies is not the solution to crack down on crime.
"Engaging with solutions that address poverty are much more effective at reducing crime across the board than investing in expanding law enforcement," said Shea.
Flick agrees the source of funding for the ballot proposition is a worry. However, she said she is confident that legislators would find a solution if passed.
Right now, the Colorado Springs Police Department (CSPD) said it's operating at 89% authorized capacity with 58 recruits in the training academy. The Pueblo Police Department (PPD) said it's at about 82% authorized strength. The current salary for entry-level officers at CSPD is just over $72,000 while Pueblo Police offers around $71,500. The El Paso County Sheriff's Office offers $72,696 to deputies upon graduation from the training academy and the Pueblo County Sheriff's Office gives a starting salary of around $63,000.
None of these four agencies currently offer hiring or retention bonuses. The Pueblo Police Department said it provided retention bonuses two years ago, but has no plans to do so again. The Pueblo County Sheriff's Office said it offers up to $1,500 in bonuses for employees who recruit another deputy to the office.
News5 asked CSPD whether Chief Adrian Vasquez supports Proposition 130. A spokesperson said city ordinance prevents him from taking a stance because he's not an elected official. The El Paso County Sheriff's Office said Sheriff Joe Roybal is still looking into the bill to give an informed decision.
In a Facebook post last month, Gov. Jared Polis shared his support for Prop 130, saying, "This initiative will support our men and women in blue and help make Colorado safer."
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