SENATE, No. 2492

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

218th LEGISLATURE

 

INTRODUCED APRIL 16, 2018

 

 

Sponsored by:

Senator  CHRISTOPHER "KIP" BATEMAN

District 16 (Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex and Somerset)

 

Co-Sponsored by:

Senator Corrado

 

 

 

 

SYNOPSIS

     Requires law enforcement officers to be stationed in all public schools during school hours; authorizes schools to request funding from Safe Neighborhoods Services Fund.

 

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

     As introduced.

 

An Act concerning school safety and security and supplementing Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes.

 

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

 

     1.    a.     The board of education of a school district shall ensure that at least one law enforcement officer or Class Three special law enforcement officer, appointed pursuant to the provisions of P.L.1985, c.439 (C.40A:14-146.8 et seq.), is stationed in every public school in the school district during hours when the public schools are normally in session or are occupied by public school students or their teachers.

     b.    A school board shall not employ a law enforcement officer or Class Three special law enforcement officer to be stationed in a public school unless that individual first completes the safe schools resource officer training course developed by the Police Training Commission pursuant to subsection a. of section 2 of P.L.2005, c.276 (C.52:17B-71.8)

     c.     A board of education of a school district may apply for a grant from the Safe Neighborhoods Services Fund established pursuant to section 5 of P.L.1993, c.220 (C.52:17B-163) for the purposes of funding the costs associated with appointing, training, and compensating the law enforcement officers and Class Three special law enforcement officers employed pursuant to this section.

 

     2.    a.  An eligible board of education of a public school may apply to the Attorney General for a grant from the Safe Neighborhoods Services Fund established pursuant to section 5 of P.L.1993, c.220 (C.52:17B-163) for the purposes of funding the costs associated with appointing, training, and compensating the law enforcement officers and Class Three special law enforcement officers employed pursuant to section 1 of P.L.    , c.   (C.        ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill).

     b.    Applications for grants shall be made in a manner prescribed by the Attorney General. 

 

     3.    This act shall take effect on the first day of the fourth month next following the date of enactment.

 

 

STATEMENT

 

     This bill directs every public school in this State to station at least one law enforcement officer or Class Three special law enforcement officer in the school during school hours and authorizes schools to apply for a grant from the Safe Neighborhoods Services Fund.

     Under current law, a board of education has the discretion to appoint Class Three special law enforcement officers to provide security at a public or nonpublic school on the school premises during hours when the school is normally in session or when it is occupied by students or their teachers.  These officers are permitted to carry a firearm in the performance of the officers' duties.

     The bill directs the board of education of every school district to station at least one law enforcement officer or Class Three special law enforcement officer, appointed pursuant to the provisions of P.L.1985, c.439 (C.40A:14-146.8 et seq.), in the school during the hours when the schools are normally in session or are occupied by students or their teachers.  The provisions of the bill prohibit a law enforcement officer or Class Three special law enforcement officer from being employed unless that officer first completes the safe schools resource officer training course developed by the Police Training Commission.

     The bill further provides that a board of education of a school district may apply for a grant from the Safe Neighborhoods Services Fund for the purposes of funding the costs associated with appointing, training, and compensating the law enforcement officers and Class Three special law enforcement officers employed pursuant to this section.