Urges Attorney General and Department of Education to regularly update "Law Enforcement Directive No. 2007-1" and "School Safety and Security Manual: Best Practices Guidelines."

AR140

ASSEMBLY RESOLUTION No. 140

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

�

INTRODUCED MAY 28, 2026

Sponsored by:

Assemblywoman� DAWN FANTASIA

District 24 (Morris, Sussex and Warren)

SYNOPSIS

���� Urges Attorney General and Department of Education to
regularly update "Law Enforcement Directive No. 2007-1" and
"School Safety and Security Manual: Best Practices Guidelines."

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

���� As introduced.

��

An Assembly
Resolution
urging the Attorney General and
the Department of Education to update certain school security guidance
documents.

Whereas,

Ensuring a safe and protected learning environment for our State�s school
children is of paramount importance; and

Whereas,

In the last several years, various State agencies, task forces, and committees
have issued reports and other documents containing recommendations and guidance
designed to improve the safety and security of New Jersey�s schools; and

Whereas,

In September 2004, the New Jersey Department of Education issued the �School
Safety and Security Manual: Best Practices Guidelines� to assist schools in
establishing security measures including, but not limited to, convening school
planning teams; developing protocols for school building access control;
implementing school perimeter security measures; collaborating with local law
enforcement and government officials; and updating school communications
procedures and emergency plans; and

Whereas,

The School Safety and Security Manual: Best Practices Guidelines was updated
and expanded in 2007 to incorporate information on additional security topics,
including site-specific vulnerability assessments, target hardening and
mitigation measures, communication protocols, crisis response, and gang
awareness; and

Whereas,

In July 2007, the Attorney General of New Jersey issued �Law Enforcement
Directive No. 2007-1,� which required every law enforcement agency in the State
to maintain policies and procedures to enhance school security and safety in
the subject areas of bomb threats, active shooter response, school lockdowns,
school evacuations, and public information; and

Whereas,

Following the issuance of Law Enforcement Directive No. 2007-1, model policies
in each of the subject areas were distributed to law enforcement agencies to
assist them in implementing the directive; and

Whereas,

The Department of Education�s School Safety and Security Manual: Best Practices
Guidelines and the Attorney General�s Law Enforcement Directive No. 2007-1 have
not been subject to any significant review or revision since 2007; and

Whereas,

Given the vital importance of school safety and security in today�s age, it is
prudent for these documents to reflect the most current information on best
practices in school security for both school personnel and law enforcement; and

Whereas,

Ensuring that law enforcement officials and school personnel are equipped with
up-to-date information on best practices for school security will assist in the
prevention and mitigation of school safety emergencies, as well as improving
response times when an emergency does occur; now, therefore,

����
Be
It Resolved
by the General Assembly of the
State of New Jersey:

���� 1.��� This House respectfully
urges the New Jersey Department of Education to review and revise, as
appropriate and on a regular basis, the �School Safety and Security Manual:
Best Practices Guidelines� in order to ensure that the manual reflects the most
current information on best practices to assist schools in establishing plans
and procedures to enhance school safety and security.

���� 2.��� This House respectfully
urges the Attorney General of the State of New Jersey to review and revise, as
appropriate and on a regular basis, �Law Enforcement Directive No. 2007-1� and
its companion model policies in order to ensure that they reflect the most
current information on best practices to assist law enforcement agencies in
enhancing school safety and security.

���� 3.��� Copies of this
resolution, as filed with the Secretary of State, shall be transmitted by the Clerk
of the General Assembly to the Department of Education and the Attorney General
of the State of New Jersey.

STATEMENT

���� This resolution urges the
Department of Education to regularly review and revise the �School Safety and
Security Manual: Best Practices Guidelines� in order to ensure that school
personnel are equipped with the most current information on best practices for
school safety and security.� In addition, the resolution urges the New Jersey
Attorney General to regularly review and revise �Law Enforcement Directive No.
2007-1� and the model policies that were distributed to law enforcement
agencies to assist them in implementing the directive.� These documents have
not been subject to significant review or revision since 2007.� Given the vital
importance of school safety and security in today�s age, the documents should
reflect the most current information on best practices in school safety and security
for both school personnel and law enforcement.