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An Act concerning constables and amending N.J.S.40A:9-120, P.L.1961, c.56 and supplementing chapter 9 of Title 40A of the Revised Statutes.

Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

1. N.J.S.40A:9-120 is amended to read as follows:

40A:9-120. a. The governing body of any municipality, by resolution, may appoint not less than [2 nor] two or more than 50 constables. To be eligible the persons to be appointed constables shall be residents and qualified voters of the municipality for at least [3] three years prior to their appointment. [Constables] Provided they meet the training requirements of subsection b. of this section, constables may exercise their functions and perform their duties anywhere in the county wherein the appointing municipality is located.

b. Within six months of appointment, a constable shall complete a training course conducted by an approved school as defined in section 2 of P.L.1961, c.56 (C.52:17B-67) which has elected to provide training to constables. The training shall include an overview of Title 39 motor vehicle offenses; traffic detail, spectator control, and similar duties; and other appropriate professional development.

(cf: N.J.S.40A:9-120)

2. Section 6 of P.L.1961, c.56 (C.52:17B-71) is amended to read as follows:

6. The commission is vested with the power, responsibility, and duty:

a. To prescribe standards for the approval and continuation of approval of schools at which police training courses authorized by this act and in-service police training courses shall be conducted, including but not limited to presently existing regional, county, municipal, and police chief association police training schools or at which basic training courses and in-service training courses shall be conducted for State and county juvenile and adult corrections officers [and] , juvenile detention officers, and constables;

b. To approve and issue certificates of approval to [such] the schools, to inspect [such] the schools from time to time, and to revoke any approval or certificate issued to [such] the schools;

c. To prescribe the curriculum, the minimum courses of study, attendance requirements, equipment and facilities, and standards of operation for [such] the schools. Courses of study in crime prevention may be recommended to the Police Training Commission by the Crime Prevention Advisory Committee, established by section 2 of P.L.1985, c.1 (C.52:17B-77.1). The Police Training Commission may prescribe psychological and psychiatric examinations for police recruits while in [such] the schools;

d. To prescribe minimum qualifications for instructors at [such] the schools and to certify, as qualified, instructors for approved police training schools and to issue appropriate certificates to [such] the instructors;

e. To certify police officers, corrections officers, juvenile corrections officers [and], juvenile detention officers, and constables who have satisfactorily completed training programs and to issue appropriate certificates to [such] the police officers, corrections officers, juvenile corrections officers [and], juvenile detention officers, and constables;

f. To advise and consent in the appointment of an administrator of police services by the Attorney General pursuant to section 8 of P.L.1961, c.56 (C.52:17B-73);

g. (Deleted by amendment, P.L.1985, c.491.)

h. To make [such] the rules and regulations as may be reasonably necessary or appropriate to accomplish the purposes and objectives of this act;

i. To make a continuous study of police training methods and training methods for corrections officers, juvenile corrections officers, and juvenile detention officers and to consult and accept the cooperation of any recognized federal or State law enforcement agency or educational institution;

j. To consult and cooperate with universities, colleges, and institutes in the State for the development of specialized courses of study for police officers in police science and police administration;

k. To consult and cooperate with other departments and agencies of the State concerned with police training or the training of corrections officers, juvenile corrections officers, and juvenile detention officers;

l. To participate in unified programs and projects relating to police training and the training of corrections officers, juvenile corrections officers, and juvenile detention officers sponsored by any federal, State, or other public or private agency;

m. To perform [such] other acts as may be necessary or appropriate to carry out its functions and duties as set forth in this act;

n. To extend the time limit for satisfactory completion of police training programs or programs for the training of corrections officers, juvenile corrections officers, and juvenile detention officers upon a finding that health, extraordinary workload, or other factors have, singly or in combination, effected a delay in the satisfactory completion of [such] the training program;

o. To furnish approved schools, for inclusion in their regular police training courses and curriculum, with information concerning the advisability of high speed chases, the risk caused thereby, and the benefits resulting therefrom;

p. To review and approve new standards and course curricula developed by the Department of Corrections for both basic and in-service training of State and county corrections officers and juvenile detention officers. These courses for the State corrections officers and juvenile detention officers shall be centrally provided at the Corrections Officers' Training Academy of the Department of Corrections. Courses for the county corrections officers and juvenile detention officers shall also be centrally provided at the Corrections Officers' Training Academy unless an off-grounds training program is established by the county. A county may elect to establish and conduct a basic training program for corrections officers and juvenile detention officers seeking permanent appointment in that county. The Corrections Officers' Training Academy shall develop the curriculum of the basic training program to be conducted by a county; and

q. To administer and distribute the monies in the Law Enforcement Officers Training and Equipment Fund established by section 9 of P.L.1996, c.115 (C.2C:43-3.3) and make [such] rules and regulations for the administration and distribution of the monies as may be necessary or appropriate to accomplish the purpose for which the fund was established.

(cf: P.L.1996, c.115, s.6)

3. (New section) A constable who was appointed prior to the effective date of P.L. , c. (pending before the Legislature as this bill) shall complete the training required pursuant to the provisions of N.J.S.40A:9-120 within one year of the effective date of P.L. , c. (pending before the Legislature as this bill).

4. This act shall take effect on the first day of the sixth month after enactment.

STATEMENT

This bill requires constables to complete, within six months of appointment, a training course conducted by a police training school approved by the Police Training Commission which has elected to provide training to constables. The training is to include an overview of Title 39 motor vehicle offenses; traffic detail, spectator control, and similar duties; and other appropriate professional development.

The bill further provides that a constable who was appointed prior to the bill’s effective date is required to complete the required training within one year of the bill’s effective date.

The bill also authorizes the Police Training Commission to prescribe standards for the approval of schools that train constables and a curriculum, to certify constables who have satisfactorily completed training programs, and to issue appropriate certificates to them.