Sponsored by:
Senator JOHN A. GIRGENTI
District 35 (Bergen and Passaic)
Assemblyman GORDON M. JOHNSON
District 37 (Bergen)
Assemblywoman NELLIE POU
District 35 (Bergen and Passaic)
Co-Sponsored by:
Assemblyman Coutinho
SYNOPSIS
Permits certain urban police training schools that train at least one class of recruits annually to continue operating.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning police training and supplementing chapter 17B of Title 52 of the Revised Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. As used in this act:
“Approved school” means a school approved and authorized by the Police Training Commission to give police training courses.
“Basic course” means an entry-level police training course designed for trainees.
“Commission” means the Police Training Commission established pursuant to section 5 of P.L.1961, c.56 (C.52:17B-70).
b. Notwithstanding the provisions of any statute, rule or regulation to the contrary, an approved school located in a city of the first class or a city of the second class having a population of not less than 85,000 or more than 150,000 according to the 2000 federal decennial census may continue operations so long as that school conducts a minimum of one basic course annually.
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill permits certain urban police training schools to continue operating so long as the school trains at least one class of police recruits annually. The school must be approved and authorized by the Police Training Commission to give police training courses. Schools that meet the bill’s requirements may continue to operate so long as that school conducts a minimum of one basic course annually. The bill’s provisions are applicable only to schools located in a city of the first class or a city of the second class having a population of not less than 85,000 or more than 150,000 according to the 2000 federal decennial census.
Policing a large urban community is a unique experience requiring specialized training because of the size and diversity of the population. Moreover, these schools need flexibility to schedule basic training classes in response to periodic spikes in crime rates. This bill recognizes that it is crucial for urban communities to maintain their police training schools.