ATLANTA — State and local law enforcement officers will be receiving a $1,000 one-time bonus later this year.
Georgia House Speaker David Ralston and Gov. Brian Kemp made the announcement Monday at the state capitol in Atlanta.
Ralston says he spoke to state prosecutors at their conference in Jekyll Island in July and told them about a $75 million proposal to “bolster mental health services and provide additional resources to law enforcement officers and prosecutors.”
He says the comprehensive package would add funding to accountability courts and crisis beds for those dealing with mental illness, as well as expand evidence processing at the GBI and add more personnel to combat gangs and human trafficking.
The largest line-item in the proposal is a one-time $1,000 bonus to local law enforcement officers statewide.
“We know it’s never been harder to wear a badge and we want to ensure that our local officers know we appreciate their service and sacrifice,” said Ralston. “Georgia is a state that stands firmly behind those who have answered the call to serve.”
It will be up to the counties and agencies to apply for the funds, and applications will be accepted Oct. 1-Dec. 31, 2021. The application will be available here.
The bonus will be available to:
- State, Local, or Education Entity Sworn Law Enforcement
- Criminal Investigators and Detectives
- Probation and Parole Officers
- Career Firefighters
- Emergency Medical Technicians and Paramedics
- Sheriffs and Deputies
- Correctional and Jail Officers
- Bailiffs
- Fish and Game Wardens
- 911 Communications Officers or Dispatchers
The bonus will be funded by money made available to the state in President Joe Biden's American Rescue Plan.