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Senate committee approves reimbursement plan for cities that fund officer training
Summary
The Senate City, County & Local Affairs Committee passed SB302 to reimburse municipalities for officer salary and per‑diem costs if newly certified officers are hired away by another jurisdiction; reimbursement phases from full at two months to zero at 18 months. Municipal League endorsed the bill.
Senator Ingram presented Senate Bill 302 to the City, County & Local Affairs Committee, saying the measure "addresses a long‑term issue regarding the training of police officers" and would reimburse cities that paid salaries and per diems for certification training when newly certified officers are subsequently hired away by other jurisdictions. The bill establishes a sliding reimbursement: full repayment if an officer is hired within two months, with phased reductions up to 18 months.
The committee discussed recruitment pressures and interjurisdictional hiring. "That's a problem," Senator Johnson said in questioning, noting municipalities face difficulty recruiting and can lose officers shortly after paying training costs. John Wilkerson, general counsel for the Arkansas Municipal League, told the committee "the Municipal League has voted to endorse this bill and support this bill." He offered to answer questions about municipal impacts.
Supporters said the bill responds to costs that can range from about $3,000 to more than $13,000 per trainee in salary and per diem during 12–18 weeks of certification. Sponsors and proponents framed the measure as protecting local investments in recruitment and training rather than restricting officers' mobility.
A motion to pass SB302 was made and seconded; the committee approved the bill by voice vote. The chair announced the bill passed and the measure will proceed to the next legislative step.
