The Tennessee Department of Commerce & Insurance (TDCI) and the Tennessee Peace Officers Standards Training (POST) Commission have announced the allocation of grant funds to eligible law enforcement officers and school resource officers (SROs). This initiative will provide each qualifying law enforcement officer with an $800 retention bonus, provided they have completed their 2023 in-service hours and remain employed as law enforcement officers at the time of application. Additionally, SROs who have completed the 2023-24 academic year and all applicable training will receive an extra $800.
These bonuses are in addition to the $800 salary supplement payment that eligible officers already receive from the POST Commission for completing annual training requirements.
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“These funds are part of the unprecedented support for Tennessee law enforcement shown by Governor Bill Lee and the Tennessee General Assembly,” said TDCI Commissioner Carter Lawrence. “It is my hope that experienced officers who have faithfully served their communities and schools, as well as new officers, will participate in this program.”
This retention bonus is part of an $84 million investment in law enforcement by Governor Lee, with $60 million dedicated to recruiting and retaining law enforcement officers and SROs, and $24 million allocated to assisting agencies with the cost of training officers at the Tennessee Law Enforcement Training Academy (TLETA).
“It is clear that Tennessee stands behind the police officers, deputy sheriffs, and the agencies serving the people of our state,” said TLETA Director and POST Executive Secretary William “Chip” Kain. “Agencies participating in these programs show a commitment to retaining experienced officers to patrol their communities and to attracting the highest quality law enforcement officers to protect the precious lives of our children in schools. If you are looking for an exciting and rewarding career, there’s never been a better time to join your local police department or sheriff’s office.”
The POST Commission is currently reaching out to all Tennessee law enforcement agencies with more details about the retention bonus. Agencies seeking more information are encouraged to contact the team directly via email at POST.grants@tn.gov or by calling (615) 741-8546.
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