Sponsored by:
Senator LINDA R. GREENSTEIN
District 14 (Mercer and Middlesex)
Senator PAUL D. MORIARTY
District 4 (Atlantic, Camden and Gloucester)
SYNOPSIS
Concerns training for law enforcement officers.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning training for law enforcement officers and amending P.L.2022, c.65.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. Section 20 of P.L.2022, c.65 (C.52:17B-71g) is amended to read as follows:
2. a. The commission shall, by regulation, require all law enforcement officers, as a condition of continued employment or appointment as an officer, to receive periodic commission-approved continuing officer education training. The training or education shall be mandated and prescribed by the commission. Every law enforcement unit shall provide a reasonable opportunity for its officers to complete training.
b. The law enforcement officer shall submit proof of all required training to the chief law enforcement officer of the officer's employing law enforcement unit, who shall in turn, submit the documentation to the commission in a manner to be proscribed by the commission's regulations.
c. A private company or instructor shall not offer or provide any training to law enforcement officers unless approved by the commission on an annual basis, and shall comply with any requirements established by the commission with respect to oversight and monitoring of training offered or provided. The Attorney General shall set forth the requirements and procedure for approval of a private company or instructor, including but not limited to any fees that may be charged to a private company or instructor to apply for or obtain approval to offer or provide training.
d. A law enforcement officer shall not attend and an employing law enforcement unit shall not permit a law enforcement officer to attend training provided by a private company or instructor that has not been approved by the commission pursuant to subsection c. of this section.
(cf: P.L.2022, c.65, s.20)
2. This act shall take effect on the first day of the fourth month after enactment.
STATEMENT
This bill concerns training for law enforcement officers. Under the provisions of this bill, a private company or instructor is prohibited from offering or providing any training to law enforcement officers unless approved by the Police Training Commission on an annual basis and is required to comply with any requirements established by the commission with respect to oversight and monitoring of training that is offered or provided. The Attorney General is required to set forth the requirements and procedure for approval of a private company or instructor, including but not limited to any fees that may be charged to a private company or instructor to apply for or obtain approval to offer or provide training.
In addition, the bill provides that a law enforcement officer is not to attend and an employing law enforcement unit is not to permit a law enforcement officer to attend training provided by a private company or instructor that has not been approved by the commission.
This bill is in response to a report issued by the New Jersey Office of the State Comptroller on December 6, 2023 entitled The High Price of Unregulated Private Police Training to New Jersey.