Authorizes Class Three special law enforcement officers to provide security in places of religious worship; makes certain clarifications concerning their use in nonpublic schools.

S4151 1R

[First Reprint]

SENATE, No. 4151

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

�

INTRODUCED MAY 11, 2026

Sponsored by:

Senator� JOSEPH P. CRYAN

District 20 (Union)

Senator� JAMES BEACH

District 6 (Burlington and Camden)

Co-Sponsored by:

Senators Johnson and Singer

SYNOPSIS

���� Authorizes Class Three special law enforcement
officers to provide security in places of religious worship; makes certain
clarifications concerning their use in nonpublic schools.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

���� As reported by the Senate Budget and Appropriations
Committee on June 24, 2026, with amendments.

��

An Act

concerning Class Three special law enforcement officers and amending P.L.1985,
c.439.

����
Be It Enacted
by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New
Jersey:

���� 1.��� Section 4 of P.L.1985,
c.439 (C.40A:14-146.11) is amended to read as follows:�

���� 4.��� a.� A person shall not
commence the duties of a special law enforcement officer unless the person has
successfully completed a training course approved by the commission and a
special law enforcement officer shall not be issued a firearm unless the officer
has successfully completed the basic firearms course approved by the commission
for permanent, regularly appointed police and annual requalification
examinations as required by subsection b. of section 7 of P.L.1985, c.439
(C.40A:14-146.14).� There shall be three classifications for special police
officers.� The commission shall prescribe by rule or regulation the training
standards to be established for each classification.� Training may be in a
commission approved academy or in any other training program which the
commission may determine appropriate.� The classifications shall be based upon
the duties to be performed by the special law enforcement officer as follows:�

���� (1)�� Class One.� Officers of
this class shall be authorized to perform routine traffic detail, spectator
control, and similar duties. If authorized by ordinance or resolution, as
appropriate, Class One officers shall have the power to issue summonses for
disorderly persons and petty disorderly persons offenses, violations of
municipal ordinances, and violations of Title 39 of the Revised Statutes. The
use of a firearm by an officer of this class shall be strictly prohibited and a
Class One officer shall not be assigned any duties which may require the
carrying or use of a firearm.�

���� (2)�� Class Two.� Officers of
this class shall be authorized to exercise full powers and duties similar to
those of a permanent, regularly appointed full-time police officer.� The use of
a firearm by an officer of this class may be authorized only after the officer
has been fully certified as successfully completing training as prescribed by
the commission.�

���� (3)�� Class Three.�
(a)
�
Officers of this class shall be authorized to exercise full powers and duties
similar to those of a permanent, regularly appointed full-time police officer
while providing security at a public or nonpublic school or a county college on
the school or college premises during hours when the public or nonpublic school
or county college is normally in session or when it is occupied by public or
nonpublic school or county college students or their teachers or professors.�
While on duty in the jurisdiction of employment, an officer may respond to
offenses or emergencies off school or college grounds if they occur in the
officer's presence while traveling to a school facility or county college, but
an officer shall not otherwise be dispatched or dedicated to any assignment off
school or college property.

����
A school district which
procures the services of Class Three special law enforcement officers to
provide security at public schools in the district also shall procure these
services for nonpublic schools in the district.
�
1
A
nonpublic school may enter into a memorandum of understanding with a
municipality or local unit outside the municipality where the nonpublic school
is located for security services.
1
�

The school district shall be responsible for compensating the local unit for
the security services rendered by a Class Three officer in public and nonpublic
schools.

����
(b)�� Officers of this
class shall be authorized to exercise full powers and duties similar to those
of a permanent, regularly appointed full-time police officer while providing
security at a church, mosque, synagogue, temple, or any other building used by
a congregation as a place of religious worship.

���� The use of a firearm by an
officer of this class shall be authorized pursuant to the provisions of
subsection b. of section 7 of P.L.1985, c.439 (C.40A:14-146.14).� An officer of
this class shall not be authorized to carry a firearm while off duty unless the
officer complies with the requirements set forth in subsection l. of
N.J.S.2C:39-6 authorizing a retired law enforcement officer to carry a handgun.

���� b.��� The commission may, in
its discretion, except from the requirements of this section any person who
demonstrates to the commission's satisfaction that the person has successfully
completed a police training course conducted by any federal, state or other public
or private agency, the requirements of which are substantially equivalent to
the requirements of this act.

���� c.���� The commission shall
certify officers who have satisfactorily completed training programs and issue
appropriate certificates to those officers.� The certificate shall clearly
state the category of certification for which the officer has been certified by
the commission.

���� d.��� All special law
enforcement officers appointed and in service on the effective date of this act
may continue in service if within 24 months of the effective date of this act
they will have completed all training and certification requirements of this
act.

(cf: P.L.2016, c.68, s.2)

���� 2.��� This act shall take
effect immediately.