Minnesota lawmakers unveil Law Enforcement Scholarship Act to address officer shortage

Minnesota lawmakers on a joint bipartisan platform outlined the Law Enforcement Scholarship Act of 2025, a proposal to create scholarships for licensed police officers and certain dependents to pursue degrees in law enforcement or criminal justice at campuses in the University of Minnesota and the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system.

Representative Dan Wolgamott, co-chair of the House Higher Education Finance and Policy Committee, summarized the bill and the intent behind it: "right now, Minnesota is facing a law enforcement workforce shortage that directly impacts the safety and security of our communities." He said the legislation is modeled on a program in Nebraska and was "just introduced yesterday" in the Senate and will be heard in committee.

The proposal would make scholarships available to three groups: licensed police officers; dependents of licensed police officers; and dependents of officers with a 100% permanent duty disability. "There are three main criteria of people who are eligible for this scholarship," Wolgamott…