Police departments across the country have been having a hard time hiring new recruits.
Nevada has a new proposal to get more officers on the streets: to let non-U.S. citizens join the force.
"When we started looking at what the state had done in 2015 when they had done basically the same thing for teachers, we said why don't we just do the same thing for police officers," said Jared Luke, the North Las Vegas Director of Government Affairs.
There are about 140,000 Nevada residents that have legal authorization to work in the U.S. but are not American citizens.
Additionally, there are 12,000 to 15,000 DACA recipients. DACA is the immigration policy that protects young people from deportation and provides work permits.
"We've talked to a lot of groups that work with high school kids and young adults and there's a massive interest to be in the police field but there's that barrier where they just can't," said Luke.
Last year, the city of North Las Vegas became the first police department in the state to allow non-citizens into their youth explorers program.
That gives teens a chance to learn about a future career in law enforcement.
Since opening up to non-citizens, the number of kids in the program has grown.
"[It will] get our recruitment numbers up for sure, but more importantly just be all-inclusive for the community," said officer Teodoro Medez Jr. with the North Las Vegas Police Dept.
Between retirements and a lack of interest in joining police forces, departments in Nevada and across the country have struggled to recruit new officers.
If Assembly Bill 30 passes through state law makers and onto the governor's desk to sign this spring, North Las Vegas leaders believe this could cut into the problem, while allowing a new group to wear the badge that symbolizes authority, respect and trust.
"When you talk about inclusionary measures when you talk about equity and opportunity, AB 30 kind of envelops all of that," said Luke.
And there is precedent for this: Neighboring California and Utah both allow non-citizens to be police officers.
