Sponsored by:
Senator ANGELA V. MCKNIGHT
District 31 (Hudson)
SYNOPSIS
Requires AG to establish uniform police training curriculum.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning a uniform police training curriculum, supplementing Title 52 of the Revised Statutes and amending P.L.1961, c.56.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. (New section) a. In consultation with the Police Training Commission established pursuant to section 5 of P.L.1961, c.56 (C.52:17B-70), the Attorney General shall develop a uniform basic course curriculum, which the commission shall implement at each approved school in the State. The Attorney General shall review the curriculum annually and make updates as appropriate or required, in the Attorney Generals discretion.
b. For the purposes of this section, "basic course" and approved school shall have the same meaning as set forth in section 1 of P.L.2009, c.222 (C.52:17B-71.10).
2. Section 6 of P.L.1961, c.56 (C.52:17B-71) is amended to read as follows:
6. The commission shall establish requisite standards for the training of law enforcement officers and oversee the implementation of those standards.
The commission shall have the authority:
a. To prescribe standards for the approval and continuation of approval of schools at which police training courses authorized by this act and in-service police training courses shall be conducted, including but not limited to currently existing regional, county, municipal, and police chief association police training schools or at which basic training courses and in-service training courses shall be conducted for State and county juvenile and adult correctional police officers and juvenile detention officers;
b. To approve and issue certificates of approval to these schools, to inspect the schools from time to time, and to revoke any approval or certificate issued to the schools;
c. To [prescribe] implement the curriculum developed and prescribed by the Attorney general pursuant to section 1 of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill), and prescribe the minimum courses of study, attendance requirements, equipment and facilities, and standards of operation for these schools and prescribe psychological and psychiatric examinations for police recruits;
d. To prescribe minimum qualifications for instructors at these schools and to certify, as qualified, instructors for approved police training schools and to issue appropriate certificates to the instructors;
e. To certify law enforcement officers who have satisfactorily completed training programs and to issue appropriate certificates to the officers;
f. To advise and consent in the appointment of an administrator of police services by the Attorney General pursuant to section 8 of P.L.1961, c.56 (C.52:17B-73);
g. (Deleted by amendment, P.L.1985, c.491)
h. To make rules and regulations as may be reasonably necessary or appropriate to accomplish the purposes and objectives of this act;
i. To make a continuous study of police training methods and training methods for law enforcement officers and to consult and accept the cooperation of any recognized federal or State law enforcement agency or educational institution;
j. To consult and cooperate with universities, colleges, and institutes in the State for the development of specialized courses of study for law enforcement officers in police science and police administration;
k. To consult and cooperate with other departments and agencies of the State concerned with police training or the training of law enforcement officers;
l. To participate in unified programs and projects relating to police training and the training of law enforcement officers sponsored by any federal, State, or other public or private agency;
m. To perform other acts as may be necessary or appropriate to carry out its functions and duties as set forth in this act;
n. To extend the time limit for satisfactory completion of police training programs or programs for the training of law enforcement officers upon a finding that health, extraordinary workload, or other factors have, singly or in combination, effected a delay in the satisfactory completion of the training program;
o. (1) To furnish approved schools, for inclusion in their regular police training courses and curriculum, with information concerning the advisability of high-speed chases, the risk caused by them, and the benefits resulting from them, and to include any other relevant police training courses that will assist the commission in providing efficient training;
(2) To consult the New Jersey State Police with respect to its administration of police training courses or programs for the training of law enforcement officers to be certified as a Drug Recognition Expert for detecting, identifying, and apprehending drug-impaired motor vehicle operators, and to consult with the Cannabis Regulatory Commission established by 31 of P.L.2019, c.153 (C.24:6I-24) with respect to any aspects of the course curricula that focus on impairment from the use of cannabis items as defined by section 3 of P.L.2021, c.16 (C.24:6I-33) or marijuana.
p. (Deleted by amendment, P.L.2022, c.65)
q. To administer and distribute the monies in the Law Enforcement Officers Training and Equipment Fund established by section 9 of P.L.1996, c.115 (C.2C:43-3.3) and make rules and regulations for the administration and distribution of the monies as may be necessary or appropriate to accomplish the purpose for which the fund was established.
(cf: P.L.2022, c.216, s.65, s.8)
3. This act shall take effect on the first day of the fourth month next following the date of enactment, except that the Attorney General may take any anticipatory action in advance as shall be necessary for the implementation of this act.
STATEMENT
This bill requires the Attorney General to develop a uniform basic course curriculum to be implemented at each police training school in the State.
The bill provides that in consultation with the Police Training Commission, the Attorney General would be required to develop a uniform basic course curriculum, which the commission would implement at each approved school in the State. The bill requires the Attorney General to review the curriculum annually and make updates as appropriate or required, in the Attorney Generals discretion.
For the purposes of the bill, a basic course" is defined as an entry-level police training course designed for trainees, and an approved school is defined as a school approved and authorized by the commission to give police training courses.