A new bill filed in the Illinois House of Representatives on Monday calls for college tuition to be covered for future police officers, but there are strict requirements.

It’s a similar model to that of the military.

Experts like Ryan Williams with the University of Illinois Springfield say it won’t solve the law enforcement recruitment issues, but it could remove some barriers.

“This is great,” Williams said. “ I do think this would be very beneficial to the underserved populations of our state, the ones that do want to get into law enforcement.”

Williams says studies have shown that college educated police officers are less likely to use coercive physical tactics and they’re more likely to use their words and training.

If the bill is passed, it could take effect as early as the 2022-2023 school year.

This story aired on WICS Newschannel 20 on Dec. 14, 2021. Read the entire article online.