DENVER — Finding and retaining police officers has been a struggle for some departments in Colorado, but supporters of Proposition 130 on November’s ballot say it will help.
"I think we all know that our law enforcement personnel are underpaid,” said Michael Fields, the president of Advance Colorado. “They are people who are putting their lives on the line as crime has increased. They're fighting drugs and all different kinds of things in our state. And they don't get paid enough.”
Advance Colorado pushed to get Proposition 130 on the ballot.
It would require the state to provide $350 million to help local police departments recruit, train and retain officers. The funding can be used to increase pay for officers, provide hiring and retention bonuses, and provide ongoing training. It would also require the state to provide a one-time $1 million death benefit to help families of police officers who are killed in the line of duty.
The money would be distributed by the Colorado Department of Public Safety
“This is a step in the right direction,” Fields said. “I think common sense tells you that that's going to help lower crime.”
Proposition budget "is higher than several agencies entire budgets"
But Anaya Robinson with ACLU Colorado told Denver7 Friday that Proposition 130 would be a disaster.
"$350 million is higher than several state agencies entire budgets,” said Robinson.
Because the state only has so much money to go around, Robinson said Proposition 130 would force lawmakers to take money away from other areas like education, housing and healthcare.
"The things that really increase community safety and deter crime are the things that the state will have a significantly harder time funding if this measure were to pass,” said Robinson.
The Colorado Fiscal Institute, which has come out against the measure, said the $350 million could be used to pay the salaries of more than 5,700 Colorado teachers or even double Colorado’s Affordable Housing Fund.
But the proposition has a big supporter: Gov. Jared Polis said he will vote for it.
“This initiative will support our men and women in blue and help make Colorado safer and I plan to voteYES ON Proposition 130,” Polis wrote in a Facebook post on Sept. 19.
Fields welcomed the governor’s endorsement of Proposition 130.
“I think he wants to come across as somebody who supports law enforcement and so it didn't surprise me that he endorsed it,” Fields said. “I hope that, you know, that shows other people that this is a worthwhile investment, that it's bipartisan support.”
A majority vote is needed for the ballot measure to pass.
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