Ind. Lawmaker Reintroduces Legislation to Improve Police Retention

Jan. 14, 2025
The bill would allow Indiana governments to seek "reasonable reimbursement" from police officers if they are "subsequently employed by a nonpublic employer."

SOUTHERN INDIANA — State Sen. Gary Byrne is reintroducing legislation that aims to improve the retention of police officers.

Byrne, R-Byrnesville, authored Senate Bill 95, which relates to the training cost reimbursement for law enforcement agencies.

The state senator introduced a similar bill in 2024, which passed unanimously in the Indiana Senate. However, it did not receive a hearing in the Indiana House of Representatives.

The legislation would allow state and local governments to receive "reimbursement of employment and training costs of a law enforcement officer from another unit of government that subsequently employs the officer within three years of completing basic training."

"Indiana is already dealing with a statewide shortage of police officers, and this problem is exacerbated when governments foot the bill for training an officer, only for them to be recruited elsewhere shortly after," Byrne said in a Thursday news release.

"This bill would make sure that every unit of government pays their fair share to train their employees and would stabilize local department staffing."

The legislation applies to contracts started or renewed on July 1, 2025.

"Eligible costs would include those for qualifying examinations, basic training course fees and costs, fees and costs for any specialized training provided to the individual within one year after completing basic training, some supplies and base salary and benefits up to the first year of employment at the agency that paid for the training," the news release stated.

The bill would allow governments to seek "reasonable reimbursement" from police officers if they are "subsequently employed by a nonpublic employer."

The amount of reimbursement would be lower over time and would stop three years after the law enforcement officer successfully finishes basic training.

Byrne told the News and Tribune last week that there have been "some adjustments to make it even better."

"I expect it to pass again this year [in the Senate]," and hopefully we'll get moving on the House side," he said. "I think it will help our police officers or agencies that are losing officers have a little bit more retention on officers for a few years if they train."

Floyd County Sheriff Steve Bush said he supports the legislation as long as it includes the Indiana State Police.

The legislation states that state agencies would be included in the reimbursement. Last year's legislation focused on county, city or town units.

Bush noted some of the challenges that police departments face.

"Especially more recently, you have officers that will go to one department and get the academy under their belt and leave and go to another, so that leaves that department in a deficit financially when you're putting money out for training and clothing and different things," he said.

He said it is not ideal for a department to invest in an officer who then leaves.

He feels the legislation could help people stay for a career at police departments rather than using it as a "particular agency as a stepping stone to someplace else."

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(c)2025 The Evening News and The Tribune (Jeffersonville, Ind.)

Visit The Evening News and The Tribune (Jeffersonville, Ind.) at newsandtribune.com

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