Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman BETTYLOU DECROCE
District 26 (Essex, Morris and Passaic)
SYNOPSIS
Urges State Police to coordinate with FBI and U.S. Department of Homeland Security to conduct building security assessment of State House Complex and other State buildings.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Assembly Resolution urging the New Jersey State Police to coordinate with the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the United States Department of Homeland Security to conduct a building security assessment of the State House Complex and other State buildings.
Be It Resolved by the General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
Whereas, The New Jersey State House Complex, consisting of the State House, State House Annex, and adjacent environs, is the home of the State Legislature and the Office of the Governor and, therefore, it is necessary to ensure the safe, efficient, and effective conduct of official business and public functions; and
Whereas, It is of paramount importance to ensure the security and safety of the State House Complex and other State buildings, which present a unique security challenge because they are open to the public and vulnerable to a multitude of dangers, including terrorist attacks and active shooter events; and
Whereas, The security vulnerabilities of State buildings were made apparent when an employee of the Division of Child Protection and Permanency carried a firearm into a State building and used it to take her own life; and
Whereas, In an age of terrorist attacks and frequent mass shootings, law enforcement officials and security personnel should be ever vigilant, conscious of security threats, and take necessary preventative measures to ensure the health, safety, and welfare of the general public; and
Whereas, While the security of State buildings provided by the New Jersey State Police, local law enforcement agencies, and other security personnel is, without question, highly commendable, ensuring the public’s safety merits taking the additional step of accessing federal law enforcement resources to further improve strategies for reducing security risks at the State House Complex and other State buildings; and
Whereas, According to the National Council of State Legislatures, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the United States Department of Homeland Security have worked in coordination with the capital security personnel in other states to prepare a state capital security assessment; and
Whereas,
It is fitting and proper for the New
Jersey State Police to enhance the exemplary service they currently provide by
coordinating with the FBI and the United States Department of Homeland Security
to conduct a building security assessment of the State House Complex and other
State buildings, now, therefore,
Be It Resolved by the General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. The General Assembly of the State of New Jersey urges the New Jersey State Police to coordinate with the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the United States Department of Homeland Security to conduct a building security assessment of the State House Complex and other State buildings.
2. Copies of this resolution, as filed with the Secretary of State, shall be transmitted by the Clerk of the General Assembly to the Superintendent of State Police.
STATEMENT
This resolution urges the New Jersey State Police to coordinate with the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the United States Department of Homeland Security to conduct a building security assessment of the State House Complex and other State buildings.
The State House Complex and other State buildings present a unique security challenge because they are open to the public and vulnerable to a multitude of dangers, including terrorist attacks and active shooter events. While the security provided by the New Jersey State Police, local law enforcement agencies and other security personnel is, without question, highly commendable, ensuring the public’s safety merits taking the additional step of accessing federal law enforcement resources to further improve strategies for reducing security risks to the State House Complex and other State buildings.