Bill Text: NJ S681 | 2010-2011 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Requires Police Training Commission to develop accelerated training course for certain corrections officers.
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-1)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2010-01-12 - Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Law and Public Safety Committee [S681 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2010-S681-Introduced.html
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
214th LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2010 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Senator PAUL A. SARLO
District 36 (Bergen, Essex and Passaic)
Co-Sponsored by:
Senators Gordon, Van Drew and O'Toole
SYNOPSIS
Requires Police Training Commission to develop accelerated training course for certain corrections officers.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel
An Act concerning corrections officers and supplementing Title 52 of the Revised Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. The Police Training Commission in the Division of Criminal Justice in the Department of Law and Public Safety shall develop an accelerated course to be known as the modified basic training program for corrections officers. The program shall be eight weeks in duration and shall provide the additional training necessary to allow any corrections officer to be certified as a sheriff's officer, or certified as a county or municipal police officer. The Police Training Commission shall ensure that the program is developed within 180 days of the effective date of this act.
b. The modified basic training program shall be made available to any corrections officer who has previously completed a basic training course administered by the Police Training Commission pursuant to P.L.1961, c.56 (C.52:17B-66 et seq.) and has been appointed to transition into the position of sheriff's officer by the county sheriff. In addition, the course shall be available to any trained corrections officer who is chosen to be certified as a county or municipal police officer by a county or municipal authority.
c. The modified basic training program developed by the commission pursuant to subsection a. of this section shall at a minimum provide comprehensive and consistent training in law enforcement practices and concepts. Corrections officers enrolled in the program shall be required to successfully complete a physical training regimen approved by the commission.
d. The modified basic training program shall be offered at each school approved by the commission to provide police training courses pursuant to the provisions of P.L.1961, c.56 (C.52:17B-66 et seq.). The commission shall ensure that an individual assigned to instruct the course is proficient and experienced in law enforcement practices and concepts.
e. A corrections officer who is chosen by the county sheriff to transition into a sheriff's officer position, who successfully completes the modified basic training program developed by the commission pursuant to subsection a. of this section, shall be eligible for permanent appointment to the position of sheriff's officer in the county in which he serves, without having to sit for the civil service open competitive examination.
f. The Police Training Commission shall adopt rules and regulations pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), to implement the provisions of this section.
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill would require the Police Training Commission in the Division of Criminal Justice in the Department of Law and Public Safety, to develop an eight-week accelerated training course to be known as the modified basic training program. The program would provide the additional training necessary to allow a corrections officer to be certified as a sheriff's officer, county police officer or municipal police officer.
The required basic training course necessary for certification as a corrections officer is eighteen weeks in duration. Under the current system, an experienced corrections officer must complete an additional twenty six weeks of training to transition into a sheriff's officer or police officer's position. This bill would allow certain corrections officers to utilize their prior training in conjunction with an eight-week training program to become certified as sheriff's officers or police officers. It is the sponsor's understanding that by eliminating the necessity for an additional twenty-six week training program for already trained corrections officers, the modified basic training program will reduce the burden placed on taxpayers in this State. Additionally, it is the sponsor's belief that the modified basic training program will improve morale in the law enforcement community, and allow certain law enforcement departments to manage personnel more effectively.
The modified basic training program would be available to corrections officers who have completed a basic training course and have been appointed as a sheriff's officer by the county sheriff's department. The course would also be available to corrections officers who are hired as municipal or county police officers.
The course would be offered at each school approved by the Police Training Commission to provide police training courses, and would be instructed by individuals who are proficient and experienced in law enforcement practices and concepts. Additionally, enrollees in the basic training course would be required to successfully complete a physical training regimen approved by the Police Training Commission.
Under the bill, an individual appointed to the position of sheriff's officer who successfully completes the accelerated basic training course would not be required to sit for the civil service open competitive examination.
