By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
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ROCKFORD — A proposed bill from state Rep. Dave Vella aims to incentivize people to become police officers in their home communities.
Vella’s House Bill 4267 would provide full tuition grants to graduates of public Illinois universities who commit to working four years in law enforcement in Illinois. An amendment would specify recipients work in the town where they received their high school diploma or GED, which is meant to ensure future officers work in the communities they know best.
“We need good police officers, and part of being a good police officer is knowing your beat,” said Vella, a Democrat from Loves Park. “I think this helps with that.”
Vella also hopes the bill will spur more interest policing, increase the number of people willing to do the job and attract applicants from diverse backgrounds.
“If more people from different walks of life get involved in the police force, they’ll realize that police officers are good people,” he said. “That will not only make our lives better, but also help with crime prevention.”
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The grants would be provided by the Illinois Student Assistance Commission starting in the 2022-23 school year if the bill is approved. College graduates who participate in the program would have their loans or tuition costs repaid once they complete their four years in law enforcement.
“You don’t get a penny paid until you’ve served your time with the police force,” he said.
There isn’t a funding mechanism identified for the program, but Vella said he thinks it can be paid for through existing education and public safety money.
“One of the ways to stop violent crime is to get more good police officers on the street,” Vella said. “This is the police force we all want — they know the neighborhoods, they know the different communities. While it may cost us some money, it’s going to save us a ton in crime costs.”
Vella filed the bill on Monday. It has yet to be assigned to a committee. He hopes to have it approved in the next legislative session, which runs Jan. 4 through April 8.
This article is by Kevin Haas. Email him at khaas@rockrivercurrent.com or follow him on Twitter at @KevinMHaas .