Sponsored by:
Assemblyman CRAIG J. COUGHLIN
District 19 (Middlesex)
SYNOPSIS
Establishes training curriculum for auxiliary police officers; awards auxiliary police officers additional service credits on civil service exam for years of service.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning law enforcement and supplementing Title 40A of the New Jersey Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. The Police Training Commission established pursuant to section 5 of P.L.1961, c.56 (C.52:17B-70) shall approve and authorize schools to provide training to auxiliary police officers. Each auxiliary police officer shall successfully completed basic training requirements established by the commission pursuant to P.L.1961, c.56 (C.52:17B-66 et seq.).
An auxiliary police officer appointed prior to the effective date of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill) may continue to serve in that capacity provided the officer satisfies the training requirements established by the commission within six months following the effective date of this act.
b. A county or municipality in which Title 11 (Civil Service) of the Revised Statutes is operative that schedules an examination to determine appointments to a county or municipal law enforcement agency shall award additional rating points of not less than three or more than 10 as may be determined by the appointing authority to any qualified auxiliary police officer who had served in the county or municipal law enforcement agency for at least two years prior to the appointment.
The service credit only shall be added to the passing score of any auxiliary police officer who has successfully completed a basic police training course approved by the Police Training Commission at an approved school.
c. Nothing in this section shall establish a preference over a paid police officer temporarily dismissed or on leave of absence for reasons of economy, or the appointment of a paid police officer to a superior position at the time of promotion in the police department or force.
d. The Civil Service Commission may promulgate, pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), rules and regulations and establish administrative processes as are necessary to carry out the provisions of this act.
2. This act shall take effect on the first day of the fourth month next following the date of enactment.
STATEMENT
This bill requires the Police Training Commission (PTC) to establish basic training requirements and approve and authorize schools to provide training to auxiliary police officers. In addition, the bill awards auxiliary police officers additional service credits of three to 10 points on their passing examination score. Auxiliary police officers are volunteers who are trained to assist law enforcement officers and perform certain functions, such as crowd and traffic control or uniformed foot patrol.
Under the bill, auxiliary police officers are required to receive training to successfully complete basic training requirements established by the PTC. An auxiliary police officer would be entitled to continue to serve in that capacity provided he or she satisfies the requirements within six months after the bill takes effect.
The bill requires civil service counties and municipalities to award an additional three to 10 rating points to qualified auxiliary police officers who had served in the county or municipality at least two years prior to their appointment.