Minnesota Senate Approves $1M Ad Campaign To Recruit More Law Enforcement Officers

ST. PAUL, Minn. (WCCO) -- The Minnesota Senate has approved a $1 million advertising campaign to hire more law enforcement.

Under the proposal, the Department of Public Safety would work the POST Board to publicly promote policing, to get more people to consider it as a career.

"Police officers have always trudged along and done this hard and dangerous work because they were serving a community that appreciated their service. But now they question what they're doing and so many have left the occupation," Sen. Karin Housely (R-Stillwater) said.

The bill got bipartisan support Monday in the Senate, though some Democrats say the timing isn't right with the recent policing killing of Amir Locke.

"I think it's really insensitive at this time to be talking about using taxpayer money to run an advertising campaign," Sen. John Mary (DFL-Roseville) said.

Gov. Tim Walz has pitched a similar marketing campaign.

Senate Republicans also pitched more money for police officer bonuses and tuition reimbursement, to get more applicants in the pipeline.