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REQUEST FOR COUNCIL ACTION Date: 7/27/2020 Item No.: Department Approval City Manager Approval Item Description: Approve Application for the 2021 Pathways to Policing Grant from the Department of Public Safety Office of Justice Programs 1 B ACKGROUND 2 For many years, the Roseville Police Department (RPD) has taken proactive measures to reflect the 3 community we serve through increasing our commitment to diversifying staff, especially police officers. The 4 City of Roseville is an active member of the Government Alliance on Racial Equity (GARE) and strives to 5 employ minorities in law enforcement. RPD’s program specifically seeks nontraditional law enforcement 6 candidates with preference given to candidates who can demonstrate experience living in, interacting with, or 7 organizing diverse communities. Preferences are given to those who are fluent speakers, readers, and writers 8 of the top 5 non-English languages spoken in Roseville: Hmong, Karen, Somali, Spanish, or Thai. 9 In recent years, our most intensive recruitment efforts have focused on Community Service Officers (CSOs). 10 The department hires CSOs with the intention that they will become Roseville Police Officers in the 11 future. Once hired, CSOs earn part-time pay (an average 20 hour work week) and retirement benefits while 12 attending a full-time professional peace officer education program of their choice. Upon completion of the 13 education program, trainees must attain POST licensure before transitioning to a full-time Police Officer 14 position. 15 In 2019, Roseville City Council approved applying for and accepting grant funding through the Minnesota 16 Department of Public Safety’s 2020 Pathways to Policing program. Participation in the 2020 Pathways to 17 Policing grant has greatly supported RPD’s Commitment to Diversity staffing program by reducing financial 18 barriers. This opportunity provides all four CSOs reimbursement for coursework fees, books and equipment 19 costs associated with the board-certified Minnesota Professional Peace Officer Education program of their 20 choice. To participate in this opportunity, CSOs submit a plan from their college showing they can be POST 21 eligible by the grant deadline (June 30, 2021). 22 Participating in the 2020 Pathways to Policing is already generating successful outcomes as one CSO just 23 became POST eligible and has been offered employment by the City of Roseville as a police officer. The 24 other three CSOs are still on track for POST eligibility by the grant deadline. The Roseville Police 25 Department seeks Council approval to continue pursuing Pathways to Policing grant funding in an effort to 26 reduce financial barriers for Roseville CSOs who are nontraditional law enforcement candidates. 27 The department will seek 2021 Pathways to Policing grant funding for one CSO in the amount of ~$18k to 28 help cover the costs associated with the board-certified Minnesota Professional Peace Officer Education 29 program of their choice. A condition of the grant is candidates must pass their state mandated licensing exam Page 1 of 2