FARIBAULT, Minn. — Matthew Shuda, 33, serves alongside his younger brothers Michael, 29, and Jason, 22, in the Faribault Police Department. Their father, Al Shuda, spent 24 years on the force before retiring in 2014.
“If Jason makes it a full career … we’d be looking at upwards of potentially 68 straight years,” Matthew Shuda told WCCO. He added that having multiple Shudas on the force occasionally confuses dispatchers and callers. “Somebody will call in and ask to talk with Officer Shuda. Well, which one?”
Minnesota lawmakers approved a new pilot program aimed at recruiting more officers like the Shudas, WCCO reported.
The pilot is intended to encourage children of current and former officers to join law enforcement.
The Legislature earmarked $500,000 for a college scholarship initiative that will begin in the 2026–2027 academic year. The “last dollar” scholarship is designed to cover remaining tuition costs after other forms of financial aid have been applied. It applies to students enrolled in the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system.
Eligible recipients include children of active-duty officers and those whose parents suffered a permanent duty-related disability, according to the report. Supporters hope the program helps address the state’s growing law enforcement staffing challenges.
Mark Ross, president of the St. Paul Police Federation, said the state is currently short 1,000 officers, with 2,700 more nearing retirement. He believes the scholarship program could boost both recruitment and retention.
“This is, in my mind, a no-brainer,” Ross said. “We can get cops’ kids in seats at these schools, get them on a law enforcement track, and hopefully they can follow in their parents’ footsteps.”
While modest compared to the state’s $66 billion two-year budget, Ross praised the funding as a meaningful step in a tight fiscal year.
“I don’t know that we can get Democrats and Republicans to agree on what day of the week it is, and they decided they were both going to support this,” he said. “I’m excited about that, and it makes me hopeful for building off this and creating more incentives for our youth to become police officers.”
