Sponsored by:
Senator LORETTA WEINBERG
District 37 (Bergen)
Senator NELLIE POU
District 35 (Bergen and Passaic)
SYNOPSIS
Establishes sexual violence liaison officer in Division of State Police and local police departments.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act establishing sexual violence liaison officers in certain police departments and supplementing Title 52 of the Revised Statutes and Title 40A of the New Jersey Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. The Superintendent of State Police shall designate the Station Intervention Officer as the sexual violence liaison officer for each State Police station.
b. The sexual violence liaison officer shall:
(1) serve as the station s in-house expert on how to respond to sexual violence cases;
(2) act as the primary point-of-contact for each local sexual violence program and county Sexual Assault Response Team as established pursuant section 6 of P.L.2001, c.81 (C.52:4B-54) to coordinate an effective community response;
(3) when appropriately trained, provide in-house training on sexual violence and support training implementation by the Victim Services Unit;
(4) monitor the station s compliance with sexual violence best practices as set forth in the statutory law and Attorney General policies; and
(5) serve in any other capacity deemed appropriate by the superintendent.
c. A sexual violence liaison officer shall complete specialized sexual violence training as specified by the superintendent.
d. A regional investigator of the Victim Services Unit of the Division of State Police shall:
(1) be a member of the Victim Services Unit, or its successor;
(2) complete specialized sexual violence training as specified by the superintendent; and
(3) represent the station at county meetings of the Sexual Assault Response Team.
e. A member of the Division of State Police shall be disqualified from serving as a sexual violence liaison officer or regional investigator of the Victim Services Unit if:
(1) the member has been the subject of an investigation regarding sexual violence, sexual misconduct, domestic violence, stalking, or sexual harassment; or
(2) a court has issued a protective or restraining order against the member.
f. Nothing in this section shall prohibit the sexual assault liaison officer from simultaneously serving as a domestic violence liaison officer or Megan s Law resource officer.
2. a. The chief of police or other executive head of a municipal police department and force established pursuant to the provisions of N.J.S.40A:14-118 shall appoint a full-time sworn officer of the department and force to serve as a sexual violence liaison officer.
b. The sexual violence liaison officer shall:
(1) serve as the department and force in-house expert on how to respond to sexual violence cases;
(2) act as the primary point-of-contact for each local sexual violence program and county Sexual Assault Response Team as established pursuant section 6 of P.L.2001, c.81 (C.52:4B-54) to coordinate an effective community response;
(3) represent the department and force at county meetings of the Sexual Assault Response Team;
(4) when appropriately trained, provide in-house training on sexual violence;
(5) monitor the department and force s compliance with sexual violence best practices as set forth in the statutory law and Attorney General policies; and
(6) serve in any other capacity deemed appropriate by the chief of police or other executive head of the department or force.
c. A sexual violence liaison officer shall complete specialized sexual violence training as specified by the chief of police or other executive head of the municipal police department and force.
d. An officer of the department or force shall be disqualified from serving as a sexual violence liaison officer if:
(1) the officer has been the subject of an investigation regarding sexual violence, sexual misconduct, domestic violence, stalking, or sexual harassment; or
(2) a court has issued a protective or restraining order against the officer.
e. Nothing in this section shall prohibit the sexual assault liaison officer from simultaneously serving as a domestic violence liaison officer or a Megan s Law resource officer.
3. a. The chief of police or other executive head of a county police department and force established pursuant to the provisions of N.J.S.40A:14-106 through N.J.S.40A:14-117 shall appoint a full-time sworn officer of the department and force to serve as the sexual violence liaison officer.
b. The sexual violence liaison officer shall:
(1) serve as the department and force in-house expert on how to conduct sexual violence cases;
(2) act as the primary point-of-contact for each local sexual violence program and county Sexual Assault Response Team as established pursuant section 6 of P.L.2001, c.81 (C.52:4B-54) to coordinate an effective community response;
(3) represent the department and force at county meetings of the Sexual Assault Response Team;
(4) when appropriately trained, provide in-house training on sexual violence;
(5) monitor the department and force s compli