LEGISLATIVE FISCAL ESTIMATE

[Second Reprint]

ASSEMBLY, No. 4175

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

221st LEGISLATURE

 

DATED: FEBRUARY 28, 2025

 

 

SUMMARY

 

Synopsis:

Concerns use of force by law enforcement officers under certain circumstances and requires certain reporting of use of force incidents.

Type of Impact:

Periodic State and local cost increases.

Agencies Affected:

Department of Law and Public Safety; State, county, and municipal law enforcement.

 

Office of Legislative Services Estimate

Fiscal Impact

 

 

Periodic State Cost Increases

Indeterminate

 

Periodic Local Cost Increases

Indeterminate

 

 

 

 

·         The Office of Legislative Services (OLS) determines that the bill would result in a one-time indeterminate expenditure increase by the Department of Law and Public Safety to review and update the State’s use of force policy in accordance with four core principles laid out in the bill.  The department could also incur some indeterminate upfront costs to issue guidelines and procedures for law enforcement encounters with a barricaded individual.  Periodic costs would be incurred thereafter to update the policies as required.

·         The OLS notes that the Office of the Attorney General issued a directive on August 22, 2024 that revises Statewide use of force policies as they relate to law enforcement responses to barricaded individuals.  As such, the provisions of the bill requiring that the department issue guidelines and procedures for law enforcement encounters involving a barricaded individual may not require any upfront costs to the department.  However, the office may experience a one-time cost to establish procedures to report the use of force to the department and annual costs to compile the information received in a publicly accessible website.

·         The department would incur one-time indeterminate costs for the Police Training Commission to develop, or update, the basic training course curriculum to include training for officers and instructors on situations involving barricaded individuals.  Further periodic cost increases to State and local law enforcement may result from the intermittent review and updating of the Statewide use of force policy, course curriculum, instruction, and examination. 

 

BILL DESCRIPTION

 

      This bill requires the Department of Law and Public Safety to review and, if necessary, revise its use of force policy in accordance with four core principles enumerated in the bill at least in every even numbered year.  As part of this process, the department is to hold three public hearings throughout the State.  The policy is to be transmitted to law enforcement agents Statewide. 

      The bill also requires the department to establish a procedure for reporting incidents involving use of force by law enforcement officers.  This information is to be compiled on a publicly accessible website and will be subject to the Open Public Records Act.

      The bill requires the department to issue and revise, as needed, guidelines and procedures applicable to law enforcement encounters involving a barricaded individual.  Further, the Police Training Commission is required to develop and include barricaded individual training for law enforcement officers in all of its basic training courses.

 

 

FISCAL ANALYSIS

 

EXECUTIVE BRANCH

 

      None received.

 

OFFICE OF LEGISLATIVE SERVICES

 

      The OLS determines that the bill would result in a one-time indeterminate expenditure increase by the Department of Law and Public Safety to review and update the State’s use of force policy in accordance with four core principles laid out in the bill.  The department could also incur some indeterminate upfront costs to issue guidelines and procedures for law enforcement encounters with a barricaded individual.  The OLS notes, however, that the Office of the Attorney General issued a directive on August 22, 2024 that revises Statewide use of force policies as they relate to law enforcement responses to barricaded individuals.  As such, the provisions of the bill requiring that the department issue guidelines and procedures for law enforcement encounters involving a barricaded individual may not require any upfront costs to the department.  Periodic costs would be incurred thereafter to update these policies as required.  

      However, the office may experience a one-time cost to establish procedures to report the use of force to the department and annual costs to compile the information received in a publicly accessible website.

      The department would incur one-time indeterminate costs for the Police Training Commission to develop, or update, the basic training course curriculum to include training for officers and instructors on situations involving barricaded individuals.  Further periodic cost increases to State and local law enforcement may result from the intermittent review and updating of the Statewide use of force policy, course curriculum, instruction, and examination. 

 

Section:

Law and Public Safety

Analyst:

Kristin Brunner Santos

Lead Fiscal Analyst

Approved:

Thomas Koenig

Legislative Budget and Finance Officer

 

This legislative fiscal estimate has been produced by the Office of Legislative Services due to the failure of the Executive Branch to respond to our request for a fiscal note.

 

This fiscal estimate has been prepared pursuant to P.L.1980, c.67 (C.52:13B-6 et seq.).