Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman DAWN FANTASIA
District 24 (Morris, Sussex and Warren)
SYNOPSIS
Requires law enforcement officers to undergo training on their responsibilities as mandated reporters of incidents of child abuse and neglect.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning law enforcement officers and supplementing Title 9 of the Revised Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. The Division of Child Protection and Permanency in the Department of Children and Families, in coordination with the Division of Criminal Justice in the Department of Law and Public Safety, shall develop and adopt a training course and curriculum on:
(1) the responsibilities of law enforcement officers as mandated reporters of suspected incidents of child abuse and neglect; and
(2) the procedures used by law enforcement officers in responding to reports of child abuse and neglect in accordance with the DCF/Law Enforcement Model Coordinated Response Protocol.
b. The Division of Criminal Justice shall ensure that:
(1) the training course is part of each law enforcement officer’s initial training within 90 days of appointment or transfer and, once every three years, as part of the in-service training provided to each local police officer in each law enforcement unit operating in this State; and
(2) every local law enforcement officer appointed prior to the effective date of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill) shall, within 36 months of the effective date of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill), satisfactorily complete the training course developed and adopted pursuant to subsection a. of this section.
c. The Division of Child Protection and Permanency shall periodically assess the training course and curriculum developed and adopted pursuant to subsection a. of this section and update the course and curriculum where the division finds appropriate.
2. The Department of Children and Families, in consultation with the Department of Law and Public Safety shall adopt rules and regulations, pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), to effectuate the purposes of this act.
3. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill requires the Division of Child Protection and Permanency (the DCPP) in the Department of Children and Families, in coordination with the Division of Criminal Justice in the Department of Law and Public Safety, to develop and adopt a training course and curriculum on: (1) the responsibilities of law enforcement officers as mandated reporters of suspected incidents of child abuse and neglect; and (2) the procedures used by law enforcement officers in responding to reports of child abuse and neglect in accordance with the DCF/Law Enforcement Model Coordinated Response Protocol.
The Division of Criminal Justice is to ensure that: (1) the training course is part of each law enforcement officer’s initial training within 90 days of appointment or transfer; (2) the training course is provided on a triannual basis, as part of the in-service training provided to each local police officer in the State; and (3) every local law enforcement officer appointed prior to the effective date of bill satisfactorily completes the training course.
The bill also requires the DCPP to periodically assess the training course and curriculum and update it where the division finds appropriate.