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REQUES T FOR COUNCIL ACTION Date: 10/11/2021 Item No.: Department Approval City Manager Approval Item Description: Approve Application for the 2022 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. RPDÓs 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 and 2020, Roseville City Council approved applying for and accepting grant funding through the 16 Minnesota Department of Public SafetyÓs Pathways to Policing program. Participation in the Pathways to 17 Policing grant has greatly supported RPDÓs Commitment to Diversity staffing program by reducing financial 18 barriers. This opportunity provides participants reimbursement for coursework fees, books and equipment 19 costs associated with the board-certified Minnesota Professional Peace Officer Education program of their 20 choice. 21 Participating in Pathways to Policing is generating successful outcomes. All four past participants passed their 22 state mandated licensing exams by the grant deadline and were offered employment by the City of Roseville 23 as police officers. Roseville Police Department seeks Council approval to continue pursuing Pathways to 24 Policing grant funding in an effort to recruit and reduce financial barriers for Roseville CSOs who are 25 nontraditional law enforcement candidates. 26 The department will seek 2022 Pathways to Policing grant funding in the amount of $20k to help two CSOs 27 cover the costs associated with the board-certified Minnesota Professional Peace Officer Education program 28 of their choice. A condition of the grant is candidates must pass their state mandated licensing exam by Page 1 of 2