SENATE, No. 385
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
219th LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2020 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Senator LORETTA WEINBERG
District 37 (Bergen)
Senator TROY SINGLETON
District 7 (Burlington)
Co-Sponsored by:
Senators Corrado, Bateman, Ruiz and Pou
SYNOPSIS
Requires training for law enforcement officers and assistant county prosecutors concerning handling of domestic violence cases.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As reported by the Senate Judiciary Committee on June 21, 2021, with amendments.
An Act concerning certain training for law enforcement and assistant county prosecutors and amending P.L.1991, c.261.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. Section 4 of P.L.1991, c.261 (C.2C:25-20) is amended to read as follows:
4. a. (1) The Division of Criminal Justice shall develop and approve a training course and curriculum on the handling, investigation and response procedures concerning reports of domestic violence and abuse and neglect of the elderly and disabled. This training course and curriculum shall be reviewed at least every two years and modified by the Division of Criminal Justice from time to time as need may require. The Division of Criminal Justice shall distribute the curriculum to all local police agencies.
(2) The Attorney General shall be responsible for ensuring [that] training as follows:
(a) all law enforcement officers shall attend initial training within 90 days of appointment or transfer and annual [inservice] in-service training of at least four hours as described in this section. Once every three years, this in-service training requirement shall be satisfied through in-person instructor-led training.
(b) all assistant county prosecutors involved in the handling of domestic violence cases shall attend initial training within 90 days of appointment or transfer and annual in-service training of at least four hours as described in this section.
b. (1) The Administrative 1[Office] Director1 of the Courts shall develop and approve a training course and a curriculum on the handling, investigation and response procedures concerning allegations of domestic violence. This training course shall be reviewed at least every two years and modified by the Administrative 1[Office] Director1 of the Courts from time to time as need may require.
(2) The Administrative Director of the Courts shall be responsible for ensuring that all judges and judicial personnel attend initial training within 90 days of appointment or transfer and annual [inservice] in-service training as described in this section.
(3) The 1[Division of Criminal Justice] Attorney General1 and the Administrative 1[Office] Director1 of the Courts shall provide that all training on the handling of domestic violence matters shall include information concerning the impact of domestic violence on society, 1and include topics regarding1 the dynamics of domestic violence, 1the impact of domestic violence on children, the impact of trauma on survivors, safety risks for lethality in domestic violence cases, safety planning and services for survivors of domestic violence, and the impact of racial bias and discrimination on survivors and marginalized communities1, the statutory and case law concerning domestic violence, the necessary elements of a protection order, 1the guidelines regarding when domestic violence incidents trigger mandatory or discretionary arrest,1 policies and procedures as promulgated or ordered by the Attorney General or the Supreme Court, and the use of available community resources, support services, available sanctions and treatment options. Law enforcement agencies shall: (1) establish domestic crisis teams or participate in established domestic crisis teams, and (2) shall train individual officers in methods of dealing with domestic violence and neglect and abuse of the elderly and disabled. The teams may include social workers, clergy or other persons trained in counseling, crisis intervention or in the treatment of domestic violence and neglect and abuse of the elderly and disabled victims.
(cf: P.L.1999, c.433, s.1)
2. This act shall take effect immediately.