Bill Text: NJ A4927 | 2020-2021 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: The "New Jersey Law Enforcement Transparency Act of 2020."
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2020-11-05 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Law and Public Safety Committee [A4927 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2020-A4927-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman BRIAN BERGEN
District 25 (Morris and Somerset)
SYNOPSIS
The "New Jersey Law Enforcement Transparency Act of 2020."
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act establishing the "New Jersey Law Enforcement Transparency Act of 2020" and supplementing Title 52 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 and the chief of police or other chief law enforcement officer of each State, county, and municipal law enforcement agency shall implement a policy requiring that every law enforcement officer acting in the performance of the officer's duties while in uniform or exhibiting evidence of authority make visible the following identification while on-duty or serving the public as a law enforcement officer:
(1) the last name of the law enforcement officer;
(2) the name of the law enforcement agency employing the law enforcement officer; and
(3) a badge number or other identification number issued by the employing law enforcement agency.
The provisions of this subsection shall not apply to detectives and investigators while working in the role of an undercover agent for a law enforcement agency.
b. The Superintendent of State Police and the chief of police or other chief law enforcement officer of every State, county, and municipal law enforcement agency shall implement a policy with respect to the enforcement of subsection a. of this section.
c. The Superintendent of State Police and the chief of police or other chief law enforcement officer of every State, county, and municipal law enforcement agency shall annually collect and submit to the Attorney General a report on the:
(1) number of instances in which a law enforcement officer did not comply with the requirement under subsection a. of this section; and
(2) the law enforcement agency that employed the officer.
d. The Attorney General shall adopt guidelines for the enforcement of the provisions of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill).
e. For the purposes of this section:
"Law enforcement agency" means a department, division, bureau, commission, board, or other authority of the State or of any political subdivision thereof which employs law enforcement officers.
"Law enforcement officer"
means any person who is employed as a permanent full-time member of a law
enforcement agency and is statutorily empowered to act as an officer for the
detection, apprehension, arrest, and conviction of offenders against the laws
of this State.
2. This act shall take effect on the first day of the fourth month next following enactment.
STATEMENT
This bill requires every law enforcement officer in this State to make visible the officer's last name, name of the employing law enforcement agency, and the officer's badge number while the officer is on duty or serving the public.
The bill specifically requires the Superintendent of the Division of State Police and the chief of police of every State, county, and municipal law enforcement agency to implement a policy requiring that every law enforcement officer acting in the performance of the officer's duties while in uniform or exhibiting evidence of authority make this information visible. The policies are to include an enforcement mechanism.
Detectives and investigators who are working in the role of an undercover agent are exempted from the provisions of the bill.
Law enforcement agencies are required by the bill to annually collect data and submit to the Attorney General a report on the number of instances in which a law enforcement officer did not comply with the bill's requirements and the law enforcement agency that employed the officer.
The bill requires the Attorney General to adopt guidelines for the enforcement of the bill's provisions.
