What do you do for law enforcement?

The National Law Enforcement Foundation (NLEF) provides an innovative approach to police reform and improving recruiting and retention by customizing childcare and early childhood education by directly providing the service for law enforcement agencies. 

NLEF is tackling quality of life benefits by implementing "police-led police reform." We build public/private partnerships to secure the funding needed to create customized childcare and early childhood education that meets the demands of law enforcement families. 

What makes NLEF's model different than other childcare centers?

NLEF provides customized childcare specifically for law enforcement. We are not simply providing childcare or tax credits. We secure the funding necessary to overhaul the accessibility with round-the-clock care and affordability by providing half of market-rate tuition. 

Our model expands operating hours and days from traditional rigid Monday to Friday, no weekends or holidays, to 5 am to 10 pm, seven days a week, including weekends and holidays, with an emergency call-out option. Each center is tailored to the region or agency.

How do you directly provide childcare and early childhood education? 

Law enforcement needs a trusted group to represent them and educate our elected leaders that there is a model to help achieve their goals of reversing the recruiting and retaining crisis.

In partnership with nationally accredited childcare providers, we've designed a customizable model with the mission to make the everyday life of a cop more habitable and the profession attractive to recruits who represent the communities they serve, especially women. 

We secure the funding necessary to bring a childcare center to fruition and customize the operation to meet the specific needs of the agency or association. 

Why start with Law Enforcement?

The past five years have devastated law enforcement in ways that we are only beginning to see the full ramifications of. Recruitment is at an all-time low, resignations and retirements are soaring, and morale is plummeting. Officers have been demonized, defunded, and demoralized—all while being expected to keep communities safe. This is not sustainable.

Safe communities start with law enforcement and peace officers. A stable, well-staffed police or sheriff’s department is the foundation that allows every other public safety profession to do its job effectively. Without law enforcement, the entire system weakens—making it harder for firefighters, paramedics, and nurses to serve the public safely and efficiently.

That is why we are starting here.

We are implementing a solution that has never been approached in public safety before, and we must begin where the need is greatest—law enforcement. This model can be replicated across other first responder professions once we establish proof of concept, but ignoring the unique crisis in policing would be irresponsible.

While fire departments may struggle to recruit women, they are not facing the same recruiting and retention crisis as law enforcement. Firefighters, paramedics, nurses, and other shift workers are critical partners for law enforcement, but their professions have not been vilified in the way policing has. We cannot afford to wait.

Our goal is to bring a positive, tangible solution to care for our current and future officers—so they can continue protecting our communities. Doing so makes the profession more attractive to women and a new generation of recruits who reflect and serve their communities.Law enforcement is in crisis. It’s time to rebuild—starting with those who need it most.

Who is responsible for running the center, and who decides eligibility? 

NLEF is the responsible entity with ultimate authority in running the centers. NLEF implements the service on behalf of the agency or association and takes on 100% of the responsibility. We are the implementors, while the local agency is the stakeholder. 

NLEF, however, puts together a non-governing advisory board/working group for each center to advise on center logistics and priorities made up of people involved directly with each center in different states. 

Are the centers privately or state-run? 

Independent, Expert-Designed Childcare for Law Enforcement FamiliesEach childcare center is operated by NLEF, a private foundation, and managed daily by a nationally recognized and licensed childcare provider. These centers are independent of any governmental agency except for compliance with individual state licensing authorities. This ensures operational excellence while maintaining the highest standards of care.

What sets these centers apart is the curriculum. Unlike government-run childcare programs, our education model is developed by academic experts who understand what parents truly need—trust. Law enforcement families deserve to know that their children are cared for and educated by the best professionals, using the best methods. Our approach prioritizes both child development and parental confidence, free from political or ideological agendas.

Funding for these centers follows a public/private partnership model, utilizing public grant opportunities alongside private and corporate philanthropy. This genuine community-based approach directly addresses the national recruiting and retention crisis, ensuring that officers have access to quality, stable childcare while continuing to serve and protect their communities.

How much does this cost?

Strategic Investment in Childcare: The True Cost of Recruitment vs. Retention

‍Each childcare center’s pro forma and strategic plan is uniquely tailored to the needs of the law enforcement agency and the community it serves. While costs vary, the estimated investment for construction ranges from $1 million to $2 million, with annual operating costs ranging from $2 million to $6 million, depending on capacity, operating hours, and location. Major metropolitan areas tend to fall at the higher end of that spectrum.

Yes, this is a significant investment—but let’s put this in perspective. The national average cost to recruit and train a single police officer is $200,000. That means an annual operating cost of $2 million equals just 10 officers, while a $6 million annual operating budget equals the cost of hiring and training just 30 new officers. In other words, the financial burden of high turnover is just as costly, if not more, than making a strategic investment in officer retention through childcare solutions.

We Can’t Afford to Wait

Changing institutions and securing public funding for innovative solutions can be a daunting, years-long. That’s why we are starting now. While public safety is a government responsibility, our budget model leverages a public/private approach—bringing together private and corporate philanthropy alongside public funding to enact real, lasting reform that benefits law enforcement officers, their families, and the communities they serve.

How do we sustain the center after the pilot program?

Sustaining the Center Beyond the Pilot Program - Financial Impact on Agencies and Municipalities

‍Law enforcement agencies and municipalities invest billions of dollars in recruiting and training new officers, only to lose them within the first few years. The cost to recruit, hire, equip, and fully train a single officer can range from $100,000 to $200,000, and the process can take up to 18 months before an officer is fully independent. (Policing Institute)

Despite this massive investment, officers leave alarmingly within the first three years. A study by the Police Executive Research Forum found that between 2020 and 2021, police resignations increased by 18%, and retirements surged by 45%. (Police Forum)Given these statistics, the financial burden of turnover is unsustainable. An annual operating cost of $2 million for a childcare center is equivalent to the recruitment and training costs of just 10 officers. In major metropolitan areas where the center may cost $6 million annually, that equals the cost of hiring and training just 30 officers. By retaining just 10 to 30 officers through improved support systems like accessible childcare, the center effectively pays for itself.

‍Our model is designed to prove the concept through a three-year pilot project. During this period, we will collect data-driven evidence to show how the program improves retention and attracts new applicants. This evidence will support redirecting funds spent on voluntary turnover to sustain the program.

‍To ensure long-term viability, NLEF immediately begins securing funding for years four through six once the pilot is launched. Our coalition is committed to making childcare a permanent workforce benefit, just like healthcare and pensions. Current employee benefits alone are not enough to make policing sustainable for officers with families.

‍Investing in real solutions reduces turnover, improves recruitment, and stabilizes law enforcement agencies—all while making policing a more attractive and sustainable career. The cost of doing nothing is far greater than investing in the officers who keep our communities safe.

Do you implement on behalf of a single agency, or do you provide a regional plan? 

NLEF is currently implementing both approaches. In Idaho, the center will be regional, serving the Treasure Valley's law enforcement, while centers like St. Louis County, Missouri, will address the needs of a single department.

Who do I contact to learn more about the model and gather information for my agency?

Contact Det. Jim Mackay, Ret. at Jmackay@NLEF.org 

Why a brick-and-mortar center and not tax credits and vouchers?

NLEF is implementing multiple childcare solutions to meet the diverse needs of law enforcement families. The center will be regional in Idaho, serving the Treasure Valley’s law enforcement agencies. In Missouri, efforts are focused on addressing the needs of a single department. Additionally, NLEF is introducing a hybrid approach in Texas, where we will support commissioned law enforcement officers regardless of agency by providing access to a brick-and-mortar center and helping them find childcare solutions outside of the physical center to accommodate individual needs.

While tax credits and vouchers may help some working families, they do not work for the law enforcement workforce.

• Tax credits do not provide relief today. With the rising cost of living, law enforcement families need immediate assistance—not a reimbursement at the end of the year.
• ‍Vouchers do not address accessibility or operating hours. Most childcare facilities are not structured for law enforcement’s unique schedules, including overnight, early morning, or weekend shifts.
• Officers need trusted, secure childcare. Law enforcement parents need to know that their children are in the hands of loving professionals in a secured facility explicitly designed for the challenges of policing.

Beyond accessibility, a dedicated center fosters community and stability for young law enforcement families. This directly improves officer well-being, morale, and retention—allowing them to serve their communities more effectively while knowing their children are cared for in a safe, reliable environment.

How does this relate to philanthropic giving and missions?

Why Philanthropy and Private Investment MatterA Critical Moment for Law Enforcement—Why We Must Act Now

‍The past five years have been devastating for law enforcement. While there is progress in restoring respect for the profession, the workforce has taken a massive hit due to mandatory and voluntary retirements and a shifting economic landscape where dual-income households are now a necessity. Recruitment and retention have suffered, and agencies cannot afford to wait for slow-moving government solutions or a one-size-fits-all approach that fails to meet the unique needs of law enforcement families.We need immediate, targeted solutions to reverse the damage and restore the hiring of excellence in law enforcement. This is where private philanthropy plays a crucial role. We must act now.

Policing has been a polarizing topic for decades—especially in the past five years. But real solutions can emerge when we move beyond politics and focus on common-sense, quality-of-life benefits that strengthen departments, support officers, and ensure public safety.

Philanthropic giving has always been at the forefront of solving complex societal issues; law enforcement is no exception. A workforce crisis of this magnitude requires innovation, urgency, and strategic investment—not bureaucracy. If you believe policing needs improvement, customized childcare will help. If you want to keep experienced officers on the force, customized childcare will help.
A New Approach to Recruiting and Retention
While no single solution will fix every challenge in law enforcement, we are responsible for acting—not just discussing the problem. We must implement, measure, and refine real solutions that make an immediate impact.

‍NLEF is not offering the status quo. We are redefining how grant funds and private philanthropy assist departments in solving recruiting and retention challenges. By championing early childhood education and family support, we are helping agencies attract and retain the best officers who reflect and serve their communities.

Take care of an officer's family; they will take care of you. Law enforcement's future—and our communities' safety—depends on our collective effort to support those who serve. Join us in making a tangible impact today.