With an acute need to fill vacancies in the ranks of state and local police as well as firefighters, Connecticut lawmakers are looking for solutions, including the possibility of better pay and benefits for those who consider taking more-hazardous jobs in the cities.
The General Assembly's Public Safety and Security Committee is considering options for legislation as it heads toward its public hearing process and its eventual March 16 committee deadline. During its meeting on Thursday, state Rep. Patrick Boyd, D-Pomfret, co-chairman of the 25-member panel, said that first responder staffing is one of the major issues facing the committee this year. In a process called raising bills, the panel approved seven major concepts to be discussed in public hearings, including the possibility of streamlining background checks, particularly for people who have already been screened for various state licenses and permits.