Police Training Programs In Jeopardy
By: Lisa Miller
Updated: May 7, 2012
PEORIA -- Some area law enforcement training could be cut if a bill passes the general assembly.
The bill would reallocate millions of dollars from a fund designed to pay for specialized training to 50 law enforcement agencies in the tri-county area. The money would be used to supplement the state's budget shortfall. Police officers say losing that money would be devastating.
"A lot of those training hours can be accomplished though the mobile training unit for little or no cost to the municipality or the county. If this goes through and the funding is cut, the costs are going to have to be born by the municipalities and the counties. So, it's really the taxpayers that are going to be hit with this," said Jim Kuchenbecker, Washington police chief.
More than 200 training programs are provided annually through this fund.
The bill would reallocate millions of dollars from a fund designed to pay for specialized training to 50 law enforcement agencies in the tri-county area. The money would be used to supplement the state's budget shortfall. Police officers say losing that money would be devastating.
"A lot of those training hours can be accomplished though the mobile training unit for little or no cost to the municipality or the county. If this goes through and the funding is cut, the costs are going to have to be born by the municipalities and the counties. So, it's really the taxpayers that are going to be hit with this," said Jim Kuchenbecker, Washington police chief.
More than 200 training programs are provided annually through this fund.
