Here’s How A Second Trump Term May Impact Hawaiʻi Police

While many policing policies are decided at the state and county levels, Trump’s decisions could directly affect issues such as the availability of federal grant opportunities for local police departments, according to Jillian Snider, adjunct lecturer at John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York. His statements about police and criminal justice issues can also set the tone for the entire nation.

“Right now, police officers across the country are pretty disheartened, and we’ve seen recruitment and retention are suffering,” she said. “So I think having a president in place that vocally expresses his admiration and appreciation for law enforcement will be really good for the job on the whole…” 

Snider, a retired New York City police officer, said it’s difficult to say if Trump’s administration will be able to help recruitment efforts, though she said his rhetoric and general attitude toward police could boost morale and interest in the profession…

The president can’t do much to directly impact recruitment at local levels, but, Snider said she expects Trump’s administration will be supportive of any legislative efforts to increase hiring. 

One bipartisan bill introduced in Congress last year, the VICTIM Act, would establish a grant program to help local jurisdictions with their clearance rates for violent crime by providing funds for them to hire more detectives and investigators, she said.

The bill was referred to the House Judiciary Committee, but Snider said she expects it to be reintroduced next session and it may advance if Trump supports it…

Local police departments receive millions of dollars each year in federal grants, and Snider said Trump’s administration is likely to impose more accountability over the process…

“I don’t think we’re going to see reduced funding for law enforcement, but I just think we’re going to see more accountability for the funding that law enforcement is provided with,” Snider said.