HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolution 9745RESOLUTION NO. 9745
CITY OF MOUNDS VIEW
COUNTY OF RAMSEY
STATE OF MINNESOTA
A RESOLUTION SUPPORTING STATE LEGISLATION ADDRESSING LAW
ENFORCEMENT RETENTION AND RECRUITMENT BY FUNDING PEACE OFFICER
INSURANCE PREMIUMS
WHEREAS, the law enforcement profession is experiencing severe difficulties in hiring and
retaining police officers, while resignations and retirements are increasing and
WHEREAS, the shrinking profession of law enforcement and depleted interest of new
applicants has been considered a national crisis; and
WHEREAS, the resignation and retirement rates of police officers throughout the United
States have exceeded the rate of hiring; and
WHEREAS, failing to achieve proper staffing levels negatively impacts budgets, officer
morale, training, physical and mental health, officer and community safety, community and
police relationships, trust, retention, and emergency service response effectiveness; and
WHEREAS, low officer staffing levels create additional stress, burnout, compassion
fatigue, mental and physical deterioration of officers, and increased officer response times
to emergencies; and
WHEREAS, numerous officers have resigned from their peace officer positions due to the
dangers, hazards, stress, absence of community support and post -traumatic stress
disorder that is caused by or present in law enforcement work; and
WHEREAS, trusted peace officers, with a history of professional service to their
communities and building positive relationships are leaving the profession; and
WHEREAS, small to mid -size departments cannot compete with the financial incentives
being offered by the larger departments and these agencies and communities face the
greatest risk of increasing crime and disbanding of their police departments; and
WHEREAS, we need to retain our current officers and the trust they have developed within
their communities; and
WHEREAS, we need to increase interest in peace officer careers, especially from
nontraditional applicants, women, and minority populations; and
WHEREAS, we need a comprehensive, equitable, approach to recruitment and retention,
that ensures all agencies are retaining and attracting quality officers to serve their
communities; and
WHEREAS, we need to rebrand the profession as one that is supported; and
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Resolution 9745
WHEREAS, we need to decrease the professional stigma against receiving mental and
physical health care in law enforcement and focus on wellness and healing from the
negative impacts of the profession; and
WHEREAS, we need to become a competitive state for attracting talented, diverse, new
and current peace officer applicants; and
WHEREAS, potential officers are likely not drawn to becoming peace officers in Minnesota
due to our unique and extensive educational and licensing requirements, but instead are
likely leaving Minnesota to pursue law enforcement careers in other states where there are
less requirements; and
WHEREAS, the Minnesota Peace Officer education requirements needs to be met with an
appropriate employment benefit that is equivalent to the time, effort, commitment, and
financial burden of obtaining a degree and achieving our licensing and hiring requirements;
and
WHEREAS, law enforcement agencies are all competing for the same depleted, nearly
obsolete, applicant pools of as well as current employees of other agencies; and
WHEREAS, the current strategies being utilized to recruit and retain police officers by
many agencies throughout the country are not effective and lateral officer movement from
one agency to another does not help solve the hiring and retention crisis in law
enforcement; and
WHEREAS, law enforcement agencies cannot compete with private sector employment
perks or the realities of jobs with little stress, safety, flexible schedules, and remote work;
and
WHEREAS, research has found that traditional employment incentives do not appeal to
many potential police officer applicants; and
WHEREAS, research has found that medical insurance benefits are a primary importance
to current potential job candidates; and
WHEREAS, a new, long-term, effective solution to the law enforcement hiring and retention
crisis is to provide state legislator funding for single and family medical and dental
insurance premiums for all licensed peace officers in Minnesota for the duration of their
careers; and
WHEREAS, this solution will effectively improve recruitment, retention, wellness, diversity,
equity, and morale in all Minnesota Law Enforcement agencies.
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Resolution 9745
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of
Mounds View, Ramsey County, Minnesota fully supports all legislative action by the
Minnesota Legislator to develop and pass a bill that fully funds all health and dental
insurance premium costs for all licensed peace officers in Minnesota annually, for the
entire duration of each licensed peace officer's career service.
Adopted this 24eh day of April, 2023.
Gary Me e-hlhause, Actin Mayor
ATTEST: A'& �-�
Nyle ikmu , City Administrator
('seal)