ASSEMBLY APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

[First Reprint]

SENATE, No. 3672

with committee amendments

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  DECEMBER 13, 2021

      The Assembly Appropriations Committee reports favorably Senate Bill No. 3672 (1R) with committee amendments.

      Under current law, a person must pass the civil service examination prior to becoming eligible for employment as an entry-level county correctional police officer. 

      Under this bill, a county or municipal police department, county sheriff’s office, or a county correctional facility is permitted to recruit and employ a person as a provisional entry-level officer prior to taking the appropriate training course and such person will be exempt from taking the civil service examination for an entry-level officer position.

      The bill also requires the person to successfully complete the appropriate training course within nine months from the date of hire and requires that, upon successful completion of the course, the person will be promoted from a provisional entry-level officer to an entry-level officer. The bill, as amended, permits a sheriff’s department to hire a person under the provisions of the bill upon adoption of a conflict of interest and nepotism policy by the county sheriff.

      The bill also prohibits the use of the law to circumvent the intergovernmental transfer process and removes the current provision of the law permitting the exemption from the requirement to take the civil service examination for an entry-level law enforcement officer position for those persons who have successfully completed the required training course.

      As amended and reported by the committee, Senate Bill No. 3672 (2R) is identical to Assembly Bill No. 6009 (2R), which also was amended and reported by the committee on this date.

COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS:

      There are amendments to provide that the sheriff’s department will adopt the conflict of interest and nepotism policy, without the need for an ordinance or resolution by the governing body. In addition, the amendment provides that no sheriff’s investigator can be hired as a sheriff’s officer in accordance with provisions of this bill, and revises the language concerning the intergovernmental transfer process.

FISCAL IMPACT:

      This bill has not been certified for a fiscal note.