Bill Text: NJ S3780 | 2018-2019 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Requires law enforcement agencies to provide law enforcement officers with cultural diversity training and develop diversity action plan.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2019-05-20 - Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Law and Public Safety Committee [S3780 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2018-S3780-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Senator SHIRLEY K. TURNER
District 15 (Hunterdon and Mercer)
SYNOPSIS
Requires law enforcement agencies to provide law enforcement officers with cultural diversity training and develop diversity action plan.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning law enforcement practices and amending P.L.2016, c.23.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. Section 2 of P.L.2016, c.23 (C.52:17B-77.14) is amended to read as follows:
2. a. As used in this act, "law enforcement agency" means a State, county, or municipal law enforcement department in this State and every campus police department at an institution of higher education that appoints police officers pursuant to P.L.1970, c.211 (C.18A:6-4.2 et seq.).
b. Every [State, county, and municipal law enforcement department in the State and every campus police department at an institution of higher education in the State that appoints police officers pursuant to P.L.1970, c.211 (C.18A:6-4.2 et seq.) may] law enforcement agency in this State shall provide in-service training of its personnel utilizing the training course materials or online tutorial developed or identified by the Department of Law and Public Safety pursuant to section 1 of P.L.2016, c.23 (C.52:17B-77.13). A law enforcement agency shall report to the Attorney General as to whether every law enforcement officer has completed the course as part of the cultural diversity action plan established pursuant to subsection c. of this section.
c. Every law enforcement agency in this State shall develop and adopt a cultural diversity action plan. The plan shall include strategies to develop outreach programs that address the social needs and concerns regarding crime in the community, as well as efforts taken on behalf of the department in forming partnerships with various cultural, religious, and civic organizations, which shall include organizations formed on the basis of preventing discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation. One of the primary objectives of each plan shall be to establish positive relationships between the police and various community groups that encourage a willingness to collaborate in identifying community safety issues and establishing innovative strategies designed to create safe and stable neighborhoods.
In order to evaluate the effectiveness of each cultural diversity action plan, the chief law enforcement officer of each law enforcement agency shall submit to the Attorney General the cultural diversity action plan adopted pursuant to this subsection within one year of the effective date of P.L. , c. (pending before the Legislature as this bill) and at least once every three years thereafter. The Attorney General may periodically assess the plans to determine whether each law enforcement agency is meeting its goals in providing in-service training pursuant to subsection b. of this section and formulating a cultural diversity action plan established pursuant to this subsection.
(cf: P.L.2016, c.23, s.2)
2. This act shall take effect on the first day of the seventh month following enactment.
STATEMENT
This bill requires law enforcement agencies to provide law enforcement officers with cultural diversity training and develop a diversity action plan. Section 1 of P.L.2016, c.23 (C.52:17B-77.13) requires the Department of Law and Public Safety to develop or identify uniform cultural diversity training course materials and an online tutorial that are made available to every State, county, municipal, and campus law enforcement agency in the State. These law enforcement agencies may utilize the course materials to provide in-service training to law enforcement personnel. This bill requires law enforcement personnel to receive this in-service training.
The bill also requires law enforcement agencies to develop and adopt a cultural diversity action plan. The plans are to include strategies for outreach programs that address the social and criminal concerns of the communities, as well as efforts taken on behalf of the department in forming partnerships with various cultural, religious, and civic organizations, including those formed on the basis of preventing discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation. The plan is to emphasize positive relationships between the police and various community groups that encourage a willingness to collaborate in identifying community safety issues and establishing innovative strategies designed to create safe and stable neighborhoods and campuses.
The bill requires law enforcement agencies to submit the plans to the Attorney General within one year of the bill's effective date and at least once every three years thereafter. The bill allows the Attorney General to periodically assess the plans to determine whether each department is meeting its goals in providing in-service training and formulating a cultural diversity action plan established by the bill.
