Connecticut House Bill HB05919

Connecticut 2015 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/21/15
• Refer: 1/21/15

Caption

An Act Concerning Reimbursement Of Cost Of Certification For A Police Officer.

Impact

The proposed legislation has significant implications for state law regarding the financial aspects of law enforcement training. By formalizing the reimbursement requirement, the bill seeks to encourage law enforcement agencies to invest in the training of officers without fear of losing their investment when an officer chooses to relocate to another unit. The intent is to promote greater workforce mobility while ensuring that agencies are not left absorbing the costs of training officers who may not remain with them long-term.

Summary

House Bill 05919, introduced by Rep. Mushinsky during the January Session of 2015, seeks to address the financial responsibilities associated with police officer certification. Specifically, the bill mandates that if a police officer obtains certification while employed by one law enforcement unit and then is hired by another unit within two years, the new employer must reimburse the original unit for the costs incurred in training the officer. This bill aims to ease the financial burden on law enforcement agencies that invest in training their officers, enabling a seamless transfer of officers between departments.

Contention

While the bill appears to promote equity in the financial responsibilities of police training, it may also introduce points of contention among law enforcement units. Agencies that frequently hire from others may support the bill, as it relieves them of the burden of training costs from their own budgets. Conversely, some departments may argue that this requirement could inhibit their ability to hire trained officers from other jurisdictions or disincentivize them from investing in comprehensive training programs, fearing they might ultimately lose those officers to other units.