The Ohio Senate is advancing a proposal to lower the minimum age requirement for police officers in the state.
The bill would give Ohio police departments the choice to lower the age to become a police officer from 21 to 18.
Lawmakers in the Senate passed it in a 25-8 vote with a majority of Republican support Wednesday afternoon.
"This bill is a common-sense solution that can literally help save lives," Senator Michele Reynolds, who co-sponsored the bill, said in a statement. "Lowering the age at which one can become a police officer benefits not only our police forces, but also our communities, cities, and state."
The bill would not require police departments to change their current hiring practices. The change merely allows departments to hire officers as young as 18 years old.
If enacted, Ohio would join at least 14 other states that permit local police departments to hire individuals between ages 18-20.
"As Ohio experiences its highest rate of violent crime in over a decade, we must explore additional steps to help alleviate the strain on local precincts facing recruiting and staffing shortages," said co-sponsor Sen. Kristina Roegner. "This bill will help ease our current officer shortage and allow Ohioans who want to enter law enforcement to start their careers sooner."
Critics argue that bill isn't the way to address staffing problems, calling the proposal misguided.
"We do not believe a teenager can be a police officer," Mike Weinman, a lobbyist for the Fraternal Order of Police of Ohio, testified during a Senate hearing, per the Cincinnati Enquirer. "We fear these officers, who can't purchase a beer, will be left to fend for themselves to handle challenging calls that could expose them to second-guessing and trauma."
Reynolds acknowledged that not every 18-year-old is mature enough to be a police officer, but she said they should be allowed to make that decision, The Enquirer reported. Roegner also pointed out that 18 is the age an individual can enter the military.
The bill still needs to pass the House before heading to Republican Gov. Mike DeWine for approval. A companion bill has been introduced in the House, but no vote has been taken.
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