After the riots of 2020 — including widespread unrest in Atlanta — law enforcement agencies across Georgia saw a significant impact on recruiting, retention, and staffing as our men and women in uniform were unfairly demonized by “Defund the Police” activists.
National surveys confirm the lasting damage with applications to police departments declining sharply between 2020 and 2022, and some jurisdictions reporting drops of 27% to 60% in recruits. During the same period, retirements and resignations surged, leaving departments understaffed and stretched thin at a time when public safety demands were rising.
While Joe Biden’s open-border policies, combined with the radical left’s woke agenda, have contributed to increased criminal activity, there are not enough highly trained, appropriately resourced law enforcement officers in Georgia to keep us safe.
A husband, father, and grandfather, Brad Raffensperger is unwavering in his commitment to protect your loved ones at school and in the community. He has a clear, commonsense plan to make Georgia safe again.
1) Double Down on School Safety
Enhance and expand existing safety grants
Build on the foundation established by Governor Brian Kemp by allocating $100,000 per school in safety funding. These resources will empower education leaders to hire School Resource Officers, strengthen perimeter security, install advanced cameras and access-control systems, and modernize emergency response infrastructure.
Extend resources to private and charter school
Ensure that every Georgia child is protected by allocating dedicated school safety grants to privates schools through a grant program because safety should not depend on where a student is educated.
Develop and launch Georgia Guardians
Partner with local veteran organizations, former and retired law enforcement, firearms trainers to establish the Georgia Guardians — a program providing structured training and deployment pathways for qualified Georgians who want to continue serving by helping protect students and school staff.
2) Fully Fund and Staff Law Enforcement
Fully fund and staff state and local departments
Ensure every Georgia law enforcement agency has the resources needed to recruit, retain, and support officers including competitive pay, strong benefits, relocation bonuses, etc.
Recruitment and retention partnerships
Create matching grants and state-local funding partnerships to support recruitment, retention, and training. Incentives may include signing bonuses, education and training assistance, student-loan repayment, and housing support for officers serving in under-resourced communities.
Targeted training and technology grants
Provide supplemental funding to help smaller or underfunded departments access modern training, digital forensics tools, dispatch upgrades, and community-policing technology. Agencies must meet qualification standards and report measurable outcomes to ensure accountability and real-world impact.
Through Raffensperger’s plan, Georgia will protect students, partner with law enforcement, and restore law and order, making our state safer today and for generations to come.