Sponsored by:
Senator ANGELA V. MCKNIGHT
District 31 (Hudson)
SYNOPSIS
Requires State Police to establish community policing unit.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning community policing and supplementing Title 53 of the Revised Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. The Superintendent of State Police shall establish a community policing unit within the Division of State Police. The purpose of the unit shall be to promote trust and transparency between the State Police and members of the communities in which they serve. The unit’s responsibilities shall include, but not be limited to:
(1) developing and implementing strategies to increase community engagement by coordinating with other State agencies, community groups, elected officials, the private sector, and local law enforcement agencies to address quality of life and crime issues identified by the residents within the area of each State trooper road station;
(2) establishing community engagement practices for the purpose of increasing gender, racial, and ethnic diversity in State Police recruitment;
(3) developing a community policing training curriculum to be administered biennially to each State trooper for the purpose of increasing awareness and understanding of inclusive communities within the State; and
(4) developing guidelines that establish a mandatory minimum number of hours of participation in community engagement activities on an annual basis for each State Trooper.
b. The superintendent shall issue a report annually to the Attorney General and the Legislature, pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1) which includes, but is not limited to, a summary of the unit’s activities.
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 Superintendent of State Police to establish a community policing unit within the Division of State Police. The purpose of the unit would be to promote trust and transparency between the State Police and members of the communities in which they serve. The unit’s responsibilities would include, but not be limited to:
(1) developing and implementing strategies to increase community engagement by working with other State agencies, community groups, elected officials, the private sector, and local law enforcement agencies to address quality of life and crime issues identified by the residents within the area of each State Trooper road station;
(2) establishing community engagement practices for the purpose of increasing gender, racial, and ethnic diversity in State Police recruitment;
(3) developing a community policing training curriculum to be administered biennially to each State trooper for the purpose of increasing awareness and understanding of inclusive communities within the State; and
(4) developing guidelines that establish a mandatory minimum number of hours of participation in community engagement activities on an annual basis for each State Trooper.
The bill requires the superintendent to issue a report annually to the Attorney General and the Legislature which includes a summary of the unit’s activities.