Bill Text: NJ A2733 | 2010-2011 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Rivises geographic restrictions on where United States Park Police are authorized to make arrests for certain crimes and offenses.*
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2011-12-05 - Assembly Floor Amendment Passed (Johnson) [A2733 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2010-A2733-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman GORDON M. JOHNSON
District 37 (Bergen)
SYNOPSIS
Removes geographic restrictions on where United States Park Police are authorized to make arrests for certain crimes and offenses.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning law enforcement powers of United States Park Police and amending P.L.2008, c.42.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. Section 1 of P.L.2008, c.42 (C.2A:154-6) is amended to read as follows:
1. Full-time law enforcement officers employed by the Department of the Interior as [park police] United States Park Police who are empowered to effect an arrest with or without a warrant for violations of the United States Code and who are authorized to carry firearms in the performance of their duties shall be empowered to act as an officer for the arrest of offenders against the laws of this State[:
a.] where the person reasonably believes that a crime [of the first, second, or third degree] or offense, or a violation of Title 39 of the Revised Statutes, is or is about to be committed or attempted in his presence[; and].
a. (Deleted by amendment, P.L. , c. ).
b. [where the person reasonably believes that a crime of the fourth degree, a disorderly persons offense, a petty disorderly persons offense, or a violation of Title 39 of the Revised Statutes is or is about to be committed or attempted in his presence on Ellis Island or in Liberty State Park within 500 feet of the ferry terminal serving passengers bound for the Statue of Liberty National Monument or Ellis Island or in Liberty State Park within 500 feet of the access bridge to Ellis Island] (Deleted by amendment, P.L. , c. ).
(cf: P.L.2008, c.42, s.1)
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill would remove certain geographic limitations on the authority of United States Park Police employed by the federal Department of the Interior to make arrests while in the performance of their duties if they reasonably believe that a crime of the fourth degree, a disorderly persons offense, a petty disorderly persons offense, or a violation of Title 39 of the Revised Statutes (the motor vehicle code) is or is about to be committed or attempted in their presence.
The United States Park Police were granted authority in 1999 to make arrests anywhere in this State if they reasonably believe that a crime of the first, second, or third degree is or is about to be committed or attempted in their presence. Section 1 of P.L.2008, c.42 (C.2A:154-6) expanded their authority to authorize them to make arrests for fourth degree crimes, disorderly persons offenses, petty disorderly persons offenses, and motor vehicle code violations about to be committed or committed or attempted in their presence, but only if those crimes, offenses, or violations are on Ellis Island or in Liberty State Park within 500 feet of the ferry terminal serving passengers bound for the Statue of Liberty National Monument or Ellis Island or in Liberty State Park within 500 feet of the access bridge to Ellis Island.
The bill removes the geographic limitation and now authorizes these park police to make arrests Statewide for fourth degree crimes, disorderly persons offenses, petty disorderly persons offenses, and motor vehicle offenses, similar to their authority to make arrests Statewide for first, second, and third degree crimes.
