Sponsored by:
Senator JEFF VAN DREW
District 1 (Cape May, Atlantic and Cumberland)
SYNOPSIS
Establishes procedures for selecting hearing officers in certain police disciplinary hearings.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning certain law enforcement officer hearings and supplementing chapter 14 of Title 40A of the New Jersey Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. Whenever there is a hearing to determine a disciplinary or departmental charge or charges made against a member or officer of a police department or force in a municipality in which Title 11A of the New Jersey Statutes in not in operation, the hearing officer shall be mutually selected by the employer and the charged officer from a list of qualified hearing officers prepared by the New Jersey Public Employment Relations Commission. If the two parties are unable to mutually agree upon a hearing officer within a time prescribed by the commission, the commission shall appoint the hearing officer.
The commission shall establish a fee schedule for the hearing officers appointed pursuant to this act.
The employer shall be assessed and responsible for the amount due and payable to the hearing officer.
2. This act shall take effect on the first day of the seventh month following enactment.
STATEMENT
This bill outlines procedures for selecting a hearing officer for law enforcement officer disciplinary hearings in non-civil service municipalities.
Under the provisions of the bill, the hearing officer is to be selected by the mutual agreement of both parties from a list prepared by the New Jersey Public Employment Relations Commission. If the two parties are unable to agree upon a hearing officer, the commission is to assign an officer for the hearing. The employer bringing the charges is responsible for paying all fees charged by the hearing officer.