State Representative John Gillespie (R-Memphis) filed a bill for the upcoming legislative session of the Tennessee General Assembly that would provide grant funding to boost recruitment efforts at law enforcement agencies across the state experiencing staffing shortages.
The bill, filed last week as House Bill 1445, would create a new grant program aimed at helping city, municipal, and county law enforcement agencies that have vacancies in 10 percent or more of their funded officer positions.
These agencies would be eligible to receive financial assistance through the new program, called the Law Enforcement Officer Recruitment Fund, which would be overseen by the Department of Finance and Administration’s Office of Criminal Justice Programs.
The Office of Criminal Justice Programs would be tasked with managing the Law Enforcement Officer Recruitment Fund with regard to creating and enforcing the application process, determining how grant amounts are calculated, setting criteria for how the funds can be used, and requiring reporting from recipient agencies to ensure accountability and evaluate program success.
As the bill does not come with its own funding, money would only be able to be used from the Law Enforcement Officer Recruitment Fund if it is later approved in the state’s budget.
The bill does allow, however, the state to accept donations from individuals, organizations, or other sources to help support officer recruitment efforts.
Upon introducing the bill, Gillespie highlighted that law enforcement agencies across the nation — including Memphis, where officer staffing is at a 20-year low — are experiencing significant shortages.
He said, “Ensuring law enforcement agencies have the resources they need is instrumental in addressing staffing and retention challenges.”
“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,” Gillespie added.
The 2026 session of the 114th Tennessee General Assembly is set to reconvene at 12:00 noon (CST) on Tuesday, January 13, 2026.
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Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Follow Kaitlin on X / Twitter.
Photo “Memphis Police Department” by Memphis Police Department.
