This bill amends N.J.S.2C:28-4 to establish a new crime of knowingly filing a false report or providing false information to law enforcement authorities with the intent to implicate a law enforcement officer in a crime, offense, or professional infraction that could lead to disciplinary action against the officer. This new provision is classified as a crime of the third degree. The bill also clarifies that a conviction under this new subsection will not merge with existing offenses of falsely incriminating another or filing fictitious reports, which are classified as crimes of the third and fourth degrees, respectively.

Under current law, individuals who provide false information to implicate another person face penalties based on the severity of the crime they falsely report. The bill reinforces the seriousness of falsely implicating law enforcement officers by establishing distinct penalties for this action, which could result in three to five years of imprisonment and fines up to $15,000. The intent of the bill is to deter individuals from making false allegations against law enforcement officers, thereby protecting the integrity of law enforcement and ensuring accountability.