Thanks to a state grant program, eligible school resource officers will receive an $800 retention bonus payment this summer, according to a release from the Tennessee Department of Commerce & Insurance (TDCI) and the Tennessee Peace Officers Standards Training (POST) Commission.
“This summer, each eligible law enforcement officer will receive an $800 retention bonus payment if they have completed their 2023 in-service hours and are still employed as a law enforcement officer at the time of the application,” the release said. “An additional $800 will also be awarded to all SROs who have completed the 2023-24 academic year, as well as all applicable training. Eligible officers already receive an $800 salary supplement payment from the POST Commission for completion of annual training requirements.”
Last September, Gov. Bill Lee (R) announced the groundbreaking of a Multi-Agency Law Enforcement Training Academy (MALETA) at Cockrill Bend in Nashville. The state spent $415 million on the campus.
But along with the MALETA campus, the governor allocated $60 million to support recruitment and retention bonuses for law enforcement agencies.
“As Americans face rising crime nationwide, Tennessee is equipping law enforcement with the tools needed to keep every community safe,” Lee said at the time. “Unprecedented times call for unprecedented support. I’ve always said that every Tennessean deserves to feel safe in their community, and this shared facility will significantly enhance training and resources that law enforcement agencies need to deliver that quality of life.”
Now, the campus is called the Tennessee Law Enforcement Training Academy (TLETA).
TLETA Director and POST Executive Secretary William Kain praised the state for its commitment to law enforcement.
“It is clear that Tennessee stands behind the police officers, deputy sheriffs, and the agencies serving the people of our state,” Kain said. “Agencies participating in these programs show a commitment to retaining experienced officers to patrol their communities and to attracting the highest quality law enforcement officers to protect the precious lives of our children in schools. If you are looking for an exciting and rewarding career, there’s never been a better time to join your local police department or sheriff’s office.”
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Pete D’Abrosca is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Follow Pete on X/Twitter.
