Washington, DC – Today, Rep. Scott Peters (CA-50) reintroduced bipartisan legislation to address the childcare needs of law enforcement officers and their families. The Providing Child Care for Police Officers Act will help local police departments establish childcare options for their officers and address the nationwide police staffing shortages by making it easier for parents to enter and stay in the field. Rep. Peters is joined by Representatives David Valadao (CA-22), Josh Harder (CA-9), and Darrell Issa (CA-48) as co-leads on this legislation. 

“Access to quality, reliable childcare is essential to recruitment and retention of the best, most representative police force we can have,” said Rep. Peters. “Our officers go out every day and ensure our children are safe — the least we can do is make sure there is someone to watch their kids when they are on duty. San Diego is leading the way to expand childcare opportunities for police officers, and I am working to support those efforts at the federal level.” 

“Our Central Valley police departments continue to face staffing shortages, and we need real solutions to support the people who put their lives on the line to keep us safe,” said Rep. Valadao. "By making childcare more accessible for officers working long, irregular hours, this bipartisan bill reduces a major barrier for working parents in law enforcement and helps improve public safety in our communities.” 

“We have a responsibility to provide our police officers with the tools, training, and equipment they need to safeguard our streets and protect our communities,” said Rep.  Issa. “This bill represents a creative and innovative approach to not only advance law and order everywhere it is needed, but allowing these brave men and women on the front lines to be both parents and police.” 

“This is a no brainer – keeping our families safe starts by recruiting and retaining top-tier police officers,” said Rep. Harder. “Making sure our officers have access to quality, affordable child care means we increase the pool of talented, diverse recruits and keeps officers on the streets helping our communities.” 

The Providing Child Care for Police Officers Act will: 

− Establish a pilot program under the Administration for Children and Families to supply grants to law enforcement agencies to provide child care benefits to their officers. 

− Authorize $24 million in funding for each of the next five fiscal years. Law enforcement agencies will be able to use this funding to construct or operate new center for police departments’ exclusive use, offer scholarships to subsidize the cost of care, or provide assistance for care for children with disabilities.  

− Allow law enforcement agencies, local governments, and child care providers to determine each of their responsibilities while requiring local entities to contribute a scaled matching requirement over a three-year grant period. 

− Set aside 20% of the total grant funding for police departments employing fewer than 200 officers. 

− Require HHS to report to Congress the grant recipients, corresponding law enforcement agencies, employee retention and recruitment data, and the unmet child care needs of other first responder sectors. 

San Diego is home to a first-of-its-kind local law enforcement child care facility which opened last year. 

“As leaders of the 30x30 Initiative to advance women in policing, we commend Congressman Scott Peters for introducing this crucial legislation. Access to affordable, reliable child care is essential to recruiting and retaining women in law enforcement and other public safety roles. This bill represents a vital step toward investing in structural supports that improve the workplace for all employees and enhance public safety outcomes.” — Maureen McGough, Co-Founder, and Dr. Tanya Meisenholder, Director, 30x30 Initiative 

“Law Enforcement Officers struggle daily trying to maintain a family life. Their schedules are both erratic and not predictable. Through their shift work, mandatory overtime court appearances and unpredictable critical incidents, they have to arrange care for minor children. It is often nearly impossible. This bill would provide that safety net for these dedicated public servants while allowing them to be responsible parents.”  — Sam Cabral, President of the International Union of Police Associations (IUPA) 

“The Providing Child Care for Police Officers Act removes barriers to entry and retention for law enforcement parents by helping agencies establish childcare centers specifically tailored for officers and the nonstandard hours they work. The San Diego Police Officers Association, a NAPO member organization, created the first such childcare center in the nation and it has yielded a marked improvement in police work by easing the stresses and worries of childcare for officer parents.  This bill contributes to safer communities by assisting in the recruitment and retention of law enforcement officers.  We stand with Congressman Peters in support of this important bill and thank him for his leadership and support of the law enforcement community.” — Bill Johnson, Executive Director, National Association of Police Organizations 

“Law enforcement officers have extremely demanding jobs, which are made even more difficult by the often-unconventional hours and the stresses of shift work. It is even more challenging for officers with young children. Many of these officers work nights or have non-traditional hours and may not have viable options for affordable childcare. Since most childcare programs only operate during traditional hours, the programs are often unable to accommodate law enforcement families.  The Providing Child Care for Police Officers Act addresses this issue by authorizing $24 million per year through Fiscal Year 2030 and will help law enforcement agencies establish childcare programs that work for these families. We are proud to support Representative Peters’ efforts to pass this legislation.” —  Patrick Yoes, National President of the Fraternal Order of Police 

“PORAC strongly supports this bill to help ensure accessible and affordable childcare for peace officers across the nation. This vital legislation tackles childcare barriers for officers, boosting recruitment, retention, and public safety. PORAC is proud to lead the charge for our nation’s law enforcement families.” — Brian Marvel, President of the Peace Officers Research Association of California (PORAC) 

“As recruiting and retention of police officers has become increasingly challenging across America, the San Diego Police Officer’s Association appreciates and supports Congressman Peters’ innovative Providing Child Care for Police Officers Act.  Childcare, in both rising cost and limited availability, has become a barrier to mothers and parents protecting and serving their communities.  This Act will help bridge that gap and help recruit from a wider group of people who want to serve their communities.” — Jared Wilson, President of San Diego Police Officer’s Association 

"Thank you, Representative Peters, for your unwavering commitment to the vital issue of childcare assistance for law enforcement officers and deputies. I am a firm believer that our law enforcement officers and deputies deserve comprehensive support both on and off the job. Grant funding for childcare services is a crucial step in acknowledging the unique challenges these dedicated professionals face. As a profession that works around the clock, our employees make personal sacrifices to fulfill our mission of keeping everyone safe. Investing in our deputies ensures they can focus on protecting the community while knowing their families are cared for. I stand strongly in support for the Providing Child Care for Police Officers Act." – Kelly A. Martinez, Sheriff, San Diego County 

Background: 

In recent years, law enforcement agencies have struggled to retain, hire, and train officers. At the same time, the nation has faced a shortage of child care providers, driving up costs and reducing options for working families. Police officers, in particular, are challenged by their nonstandard work schedules, with most child care centers operating under a 9 to 5 work day. Rep. Peters’ legislation would help ease this significant barrier to entry and retention for parents who wish to pursue careers in law enforcement and would help expand child care capacity in regions that are most in need. 

Full text of the Providing Child Care for Police Officers Act can be found here.