Parson announces $1 million Missouri Blue Scholarship fund to assist law enforcement academy recruits

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

As police departments across the county continue to face officer shortages, Gov. Mike Parson says a new initiative could improve the situation in Missouri.

Parson announced Friday the launch of a $1 million Missouri Blue Scholarship Fund. It's in an effort to help attract more Missourians to law enforcement careers.

The Missouri Blue Scholarship pays $5,000 toward the cost of a Missouri resident attending a law enforcement academy in the state.

"This will allow potential officers that may not be able to afford the academy an avenue to get academy training paid for," said John Worden, who is the director of the the Law Enforcement Training Institute at the MU Extension.

This new resource available to residents will also help departments that aren't sponsored by an academy.

"It will allow those smaller departments to be able to afford to have some folks that are already licensed coming into their departments." Worden said.

Attending a law enforcement academy can cost between $4,000-$11,000, depending on the academy.

In June of 2021, a survey done by the Police Executive Research Forum found police departments around the country on average were filling 93% of available budgets positions, with a 45% increase in retirements.

But, Worden claims there are a number of factors contributing to the shortage.

"The job and then considering the working environment ands the working hours and all of those things." Worden said.

The scholarships are now available for those interested in pursuing a law enforcement career and will be given on a first-come, first-served basis.

"We established Missouri Blue Scholarships to help attract recruits who may not have the resources to attend a law enforcement academy," Parson's office said in a statement. "Missourians support our law enforcement who keep us safe and value the contributions officers make every day."

Missouri Blue Scholarships are paid directly to law enforcement academies after the completion of eight weeks of training.

Those interested in applying for a Missouri Blue Scholarship you can apply here.