[Second Reprint]

SENATE, No. 4099

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

219th LEGISLATURE

INTRODUCED NOVEMBER 12, 2021

Sponsored by:

Senator  ANTHONY M. BUCCO

District 25 (Morris and Somerset)

Senator  STEPHEN M. SWEENEY

District 3 (Cumberland, Gloucester and Salem)

Co-Sponsored by:

Senators O'Scanlon and Singleton

SYNOPSIS

     Permits exemption from civil service examination requirement for entry-level county sheriff’s officer and county correctional police officer. 

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

     As amended by the Senate on December 20, 2021.

An Act concerning civil service examination requirement for entry-level county sheriff’s officer and county correctional police officer positon, and amending P.L.2021, c.7. 

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

      1.   Section 1 of P.L.2021, c.7 (C.11A:4-1.3) is amended to read as follows: 

      1.   a.  The Civil Service Commission shall exempt from the requirement to take an examination for an entry-level law enforcement position, an entry-level county sheriff’s officer position, or an entry-level county correctional police officer position a person who has successfully completed a full Basic Course for Police Officers training course ¹or a full Basic Course for Correction Officers training course¹ at a school approved and authorized by the New Jersey Police Training commission.

      b.   The Civil Service Commission shall 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 that are reasonable, necessary, and consistent with the provisions of this act.

      c.   A municipal or county police department or a county sheriff’s department may hire a person[,] exempt from the requirement to take an examination [for an entry-level law enforcement position] pursuant to subsection a. of this section, upon adoption of an ordinance or resolution by the governing body authorizing such hiring by the [police] department and the adoption of a conflict of interest and nepotism policy.

d.   A county correctional facility may hire a person, exempt from the requirement to take an examination for an entry-level county correctional police officer position pursuant to subsection a. of this section, upon adoption of a resolution by the governing body authorizing such hiring by the correctional facility and the adoption of a conflict of interest and nepotism policy.

        ²e.  A sheriff’s investigator in a sheriff’s department shall be eligible for appointment in accordance with this section through transfer to a sheriff’s officer position in that same department provided that:

(1)  the investigator has completed at least one year in the position of sheriff’s investigator in that sheriff’s department or has served at least one year as a police officer or sheriff’s officer in a municipal or county police or sheriff’s department in this State; and

(2)  the sheriff’s investigator is not over 35 years of age at the time of initial appointment in accordance with this section to the sheriff’s officer position.

Beginning on January 1, 2023, a sheriff shall not appoint sheriff’s investigators in accordance with this section to more than 50 percent of open sheriff’s officer positions in any calendar year.²

(cf: P.L.2021, c.7, s.1)

     2.    This act shall take effect six months following enactment, except the Civil Service Commission may take any anticipatory administrative action in advance as shall be necessary for the implementation of this act.