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Kansas committee hears bill to let 20‑year‑olds apply for police certification
Summary
A Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on House Bill 21‑64 focused on lowering the minimum application age for police certification from 21 to 20, with proponents citing recruitment needs and state training safeguards and a neutral enforcement agency urging stakeholder work on provisional‑license language.
House Bill 21‑64, which would allow people age 20 and older to apply for certification as a police or law enforcement officer under the Kansas Law Enforcement Training Act, drew testimony at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on March 7.
The bill brief presented to the committee says the measure would amend KSA 74 56 0 5, the statute that sets applicant qualifications, to permit a person to apply at 20 but require that they be 21 before serving as a full‑ or part‑time officer. Proponents and neutral witnesses agreed the bill would not let persons under 21 patrol solo; candidates must complete required training before regular duty.
Chief Chris Vallejo of the Topeka Police Department testified the change is intended to…
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