Ballot initiative ‘Back the Blue’ would direct $350M to Colorado law enforcement, $1M death benefit

A yes vote on Proposition 130 directs the state to provide $350 million in additional funding to local law enforcement agencies to improve officer recruitment and retention, and requires the state to provide a one-time $1 million death benefit to the family of each state and local law enforcement officer killed in the line of duty.

A no vote on Proposition 130 will continue current levels of funding for local law enforcement agencies, and families of law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty will continue to receive existing benefits provided by current law.

COLORADO (KRDO) - A recently added ballot initiative gives Colorado voters the option to see $350 million go to local law enforcement agencies, as well as a $1 million death benefit for survivors of officers killed in the line of duty.

Initiative 157, also known as 'Back the Blue', directs funding toward activities related to law enforcement such as increased pay for officers and providing one-time hiring, recruitment, and retention bonuses.

Common Sense Institute, the authors behind the initiative say the initiative was created in attempts to, "respond to Colorado’s crime by sweetening police recruitment incentives."

The Colorado Springs Police Department says they are still looking over the measure, but Pueblo's Police Chief, Chris Noeller, says, "I'm not here to sway voters, but what I would say is that support of law enforcement is something that needs to be front and center."

Under 'Back the Blue' additional officers would be hired for specific locations or types of crimes. Ongoing training would also be applied for new and veteran officers in the use of force, restraints, and physical fitness.

"Back the Blue Initiative is to enable them to recruit and keep more law enforcement officers that then keep our communities and families safe," Kristi Burton Brown with Advance Colorado said.

If passed, $350 million in state funding would go to law enforcement agencies and it would be up to lawmakers to decide how to divvy up those funds.

"There's a lot of departments of our size or smaller that probably need the money pretty bad. This is a good way to show that to the people that are looking at this as a career and the people that are serving," Chief Noeller said.

Initiative 157 would also provide a $1 million dollar death benefit to the families of officers killed in the line of duty. That's in addition to the officer's pension.

"This million-dollar death benefit would never make up for what happened to the first responder who died protecting the rest of us, but it does do a better job taking care of their family. And that's the goal here," Brown said.

The death benefit would go to surviving spouses, children, or the estate.

Colorado voters will decided on the fate of Initiative 157 come November in the general election.