Requires State Police to establish community policing unit.

A5300

ASSEMBLY, No. 5300

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

�

INTRODUCED JUNE 23, 2026

Sponsored by:

Assemblywoman� VERLINA REYNOLDS-JACKSON

District 15 (Hunterdon and Mercer)

Assemblywoman� LINDA S. CARTER

District 22 (Somerset and Union)

SYNOPSIS

���� Requires State Police to establish community policing
unit.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

���� As introduced.

��

An Act
concerning community policing and supplementing Title
53 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 shall establish a community policing unit within the Division
of State Police. The purpose of the unit shall be to promote trust and
transparency between the State Police and members of the communities in which
they serve. The unit�s responsibilities shall include, but not be limited to:

���� (1)�� developing and
implementing strategies to increase community engagement by coordinating with
other State agencies, community groups, elected officials, the private sector,
and local law enforcement agencies to address quality of life and crime issues
identified by the residents within the area of each State trooper road station;

���� (2)�� establishing community
engagement practices for the purpose of increasing gender, racial, and ethnic
diversity in State Police recruitment;

���� (3)�� developing a community
policing training curriculum to be administered biennially to each State
trooper for the purpose of increasing awareness and understanding of inclusive communities
within the State; and

���� (4)�� developing guidelines
that establish a mandatory minimum number of hours of participation in
community engagement activities on an annual basis for each State Trooper.

���� b.��� The superintendent shall
issue a report annually to the Attorney General and the Legislature, pursuant
to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1) which includes, but is not
limited to, a summary of the unit�s activities.

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

STATEMENT

���� This bill requires the
Superintendent of State Police to establish a community policing unit within
the Division of State Police. The purpose of the unit would be to promote trust
and transparency between the State Police and members of the communities in
which they serve. The unit�s responsibilities would include, but not be limited
to:

���� (1) developing and
implementing strategies to increase community engagement by working with other
State agencies, community groups, elected officials, the private sector, and
local law enforcement agencies to address quality of life and crime issues identified
by the residents within the area of each State Trooper road station;

���� (2) establishing community
engagement practices for the purpose of increasing gender, racial, and ethnic
diversity in State Police recruitment

���� (3) developing a community
policing training curriculum to be administered biennially to each State
trooper for the purpose of increasing awareness and understanding of inclusive communities
within the State; and

���� (4) developing guidelines that
establish a mandatory minimum number of hours of participation in community
engagement activities on an annual basis for each State Trooper.

���� The bill requires the
superintendent to issue a report annually to the Attorney General and the
Legislature which includes a summary of the unit�s activities.