As demands on New Hampshire cops grow, the politics of police funding remain the same

read more…: As demands on New Hampshire cops grow, the politics of police funding remain the same

From law enforcement officers in rural parts of the state to police command staff say they lack the resources to carry out the expanding duties that communities ask them to perform. Police question whether they should be tasked with resolving mental health crises or dealing with the fallout from the opioid epidemic.

New Hampshire’s largest law enforcement agency, the State Police, has grown by 30 percent since 2000

read more…: New Hampshire’s largest law enforcement agency, the State Police, has grown by 30 percent since 2000

“To get more people costs more money. We are a state that is very careful with our money. I would say that publicly we enjoy overall what I think is great support. That said, the ability to convince those who have the responsibility of managing the state’s budget that we need more people and for the following reasons is an uphill battle.”

Few NH police departments collect demographic data, but those that do are overwhelmingly white and male

read more…: Few NH police departments collect demographic data, but those that do are overwhelmingly white and male

The New Hampshire Police Standards and Training Council recently switched over to a new record-keeping system that will track the race and gender of incoming police academy classes, allowing for statewide statistics for future police ranks that haven’t previously been kept. 

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