SENATE LAW AND PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

SENATE, No. 4099

with committee amendments

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  DECEMBER 16, 2021

      The Senate Law and Public Safety Committee reports favorably and with committee amendments Senate Bill No. 4099.

      As amended and reported by the committee, this bill permits an exemption from the civil service examination requirement for entry-level county sheriff’s officers and entry-level county correctional police officers.

Under current law, a person is required to pass the civil service law enforcement examination prior to becoming eligible for employment as an entry-level county sheriff’s officer or an entry-level county correctional police officer. 

     Under the amended bill, the Civil Service Commission is required to exempt from examination for an entry-level county sheriff’s officer position or an entry-level county correctional police officer position any person who has successfully completed a full Basic Course for Police Officers training course or a full Basic Course for Correction Officers training course at a school approved and authorized by the New Jersey Police Training commission.

     The amended bill provides that a county sheriff’s department may hire a person exempt from the requirement to take the examination upon adoption of an ordinance or resolution by the governing body authorizing the hiring by the department and the adoption of a conflict of interest and nepotism policy.

     Under the amended bill, a county correctional facility also may hire a person exempt from the requirement to take an examination for an entry-level position upon adoption of a resolution by the governing body authorizing the hiring by the correctional facility and the adoption of a conflict of interest and nepotism policy.

COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS:

     The committee amended the bill to clarify that a correctional police officer would have to complete a full Basic Course for Corrections Officers training course under the bill’s provisions, rather than a full Basic Course for Police Officers training course.