[Second Reprint]

SENATE, No. 538

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

INTRODUCED JANUARY 29, 1996

By Senator BASSANO

An Act concerning the training of police officers ²[¹and],² corrections officers^{1 2}and juvenile detention officers², amending P.L.1961, c.56 ¹and P.L.1988, c.176¹ and repealing section 4 of P.L.1961, c.56.

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

    1. Section 3 of P.L.1961, c.56 (C.52:17B-68) is amended to read as follows:

    3. Every municipality and county shall authorize attendance at an approved school by ²[persons holding a probationary appointment] a person appointed² as a police officer, and every municipality and county shall require that no person shall hereafter be given or accept a permanent appointment as a police officer or exercise the powers and duties of a police officer unless [such] the person has successfully completed a police training course at an approved school; provided, however, that the commission may, in its discretion, except from the requirements of this section any person who demonstrates to the commission's satisfaction that he ²or she² has successfully completed a police training course conducted by any Federal, State or other public or private agency, the requirements of which are substantially equivalent to the requirements of this act.

(cf: P.L.1971, c.321, s.2)

    ¹2. Section 5 of P.L.1988, c.176 (C. 52:17B-68.1) is amended to read as follows:

    [a.] A person appointed as an adult or juvenile corrections officer or as a juvenile detention officer by the State or county shall satisfactorily complete prior to permanent appointment or exercising the powers and duties of an adult or juvenile corrections officer or a juvenile detention officer a basic training course approved by the Police Training Commission. A corrections officer or juvenile detention officer who was appointed before the effective date of this act shall satisfactorily complete, within two years of the effective date of this act, an in-service basic training course approved by the Police Training Commission and designed to meet the training needs of corrections officers or juvenile detention officers with prior work experience.

    A person may be exempt from the requirements of this section if that person has successfully completed training conducted by a federal, State or county agency the requirements of which are substantially equivalent to the requirements of a basic training course approved by the Police Training Commission pursuant to section 4 of this act.

    [b. A person shall be given a probationary appointment as a corrections officer or as a juvenile detention officer for a period of one year so that the person seeking permanent appointment may satisfactorily complete a basic training course for corrections officers or for juvenile detention officers conducted at a school approved by the Police Training Commission. The probationary time may exceed one year for those persons enrolled within the one year period in a basic training course scheduled to end after the expiration of the one year period. A person shall participate in a basic training course only if that person holds a probationary appointment and that person shall be entitled to a leave of absence with pay to attend a basic training course.]¹

(cf: P.L.1988, c.176, s.5)

    ¹[2.] 3.¹ Section 4 of P.L.1961, c.56 (C.52:17B-69) is repealed.

    ¹[3.] 4.¹ This act shall take effect immediately.

Requires police officers and corrections officers to complete training course before assuming powers and duties