New Bill Seeks to Help Tennessee Agencies Attract Qualified Officers

Tennessee is taking steps to address law enforcement shortages across the state. Rep. John Gillespie of Memphis has introduced House Bill 1445, a measure designed to boost recruitment and ensure agencies have the tools needed to keep communities safe.

The legislation creates a Law Enforcement Officer Recruitment Fund, which will provide grants to city, municipal, and county agencies struggling with staffing gaps. To qualify, departments must have vacancies in at least 10% of their funded officer positions, a threshold that highlights the scale of the recruitment challenge.

“Ensuring law enforcement agencies have the resources they need is instrumental in addressing staffing and retention challenges,” Gillespie said. “This proactive legislation will provide additional funding to help police departments and sheriffs’ offices attract qualified candidates to fill critical roles across the Volunteer State. Investing in recruitment will lead to stronger and safer communities for all Tennesseans.”

The fund will be backed by state appropriations as well as public and private contributions. The Tennessee treasurer will be responsible for investing the fund’s assets, with the interest credited back to strengthen its impact. Administration of the program will fall under the Office of Criminal Justice Programs within the state Department of Finance and Administration.

Staffing shortages have become a growing concern for departments across Tennessee and the nation. Earlier this year, the Memphis Police Association reported that the city reached a 20-year low in police staffing. Gillespie’s bill aims to reverse this trend by giving local agencies more resources to compete for qualified candidates and fill critical roles.

Recent years have also seen new measures to protect officers on the job, including stronger penalties for those who assault members of law enforcement. Tennessee currently ranks as the 8th best state in the nation to serve as a police officer, according to WalletHub.

The initiative comes as Memphis has been the focus of broader state and federal attention. At the request of Gov. Bill Lee, President Donald Trump recently established the Memphis Safe Task Force, deploying federal resources to assist in the fight against violent crime in the city. Gillespie’s legislation builds on that momentum, aiming to ensure departments across the state have the manpower necessary to respond to crime effectively.

The General Assembly is scheduled to reconvene for its second session on January 13, where House Bill 1445 will be up for consideration. Gillespie, who represents District 97 in Shelby County, says the legislation is ultimately about giving law enforcement the support they need to build stronger, safer communities.