New Jersey Revised Statutes
Title 11A - Civil Service
Section 11A:4-1.3 - Certain entry-level law enforcement applicants, exemption from examination requirement.

11A:4-1.3 Certain entry-level law enforcement applicants, exemption from examination requirement.
1. a. The Civil Service Commission shall exempt from the requirement to take an examination for an entry-level law enforcement officer position, entry-level sheriff's officer position, or entry-level State or county correctional police officer position a person who successfully completes a full Basic Course for Police Officers training course or a full Basic Course for Correction Officers training course at a school approved and authorized by the New Jersey Police Training commission within nine months from the date of hire as a temporary entry-level officer under the provisions of this section.
(1) Any person employed under the provisions of this section shall enroll in a training course approved by the New Jersey Police Training Commission, and such person shall be entitled to a leave of absence with pay during the period of the training course.
(2) Upon successful completion of the training course, any person employed under the provisions of this section shall be appointed from a temporary to a permanent entry-level law enforcement police officer, from a temporary sheriff's officer, or temporary entry-level State or county correctional police officer to a permanent entry-level law enforcement officer, entry-level sheriff's officer, or permanent entry-level State or county correctional police officer, as appropriate.
b. (Deleted by amendment, P.L.2021, c.406)
c. (1) A municipal or county police department may hire a person, exempt from the requirement to take an examination for an entry-level law enforcement officer position pursuant to subsection a. of this section, upon adoption of an ordinance or resolution by the governing body authorizing such hiring by the police department and the adoption of a conflict of interest and nepotism policy.
(2) A county sheriff's department may hire a person, exempt from the requirement to take an examination for an entry-level sheriff's officer position pursuant to subsection a. of this section, upon the adoption by the county sheriff of a conflict of interest and nepotism policy.
(3) A county correctional facility, except one under the control or supervision of a county sheriff, may hire a person, exempt from the requirement to take an examination for an entry-level county correctional police officer position pursuant to subsection a. of this section, upon adoption of an ordinance or a resolution by the governing body authorizing such hiring by the county correctional facility and the adoption of a conflict of interest and nepotism policy. A county correctional facility that is under the control or supervision of a county sheriff may hire a person, exempt from the requirement to take an examination for an entry-level county correctional police officer position pursuant to subsection a. of this section, upon the adoption by the county sheriff of a conflict of interest and nepotism policy, without the need for an ordinance or a resolution by the governing body.
(4) A State correctional facility or department may hire a person, exempt from the requirement to take an examination for an entry-level State correctional police officer position pursuant to subsection a. of this section, upon authorization of the Commissioner of Corrections.
d. Permanent entry-level officers and entry-level officers serving in a working test period who are employed by a municipal or county police department, county sheriff's department, or State or county correctional facility shall not be appointed by a different municipal or county police department, county sheriff's department, or State or county correctional facility utilizing the provisions of this section and municipal or county police departments, county sheriff's departments, or State or county correctional facilities may not utilize the provisions of this section to circumvent the intergovernmental transfer process regulations established by the Civil Service Commission for officers which requires written authorization from the departing authority, including, but not limited to, the New Jersey Department of Corrections.
e. The starting salary of a State correctional police officer shall be not less than $48,000. Adjustments shall be made to the remaining steps in the salary scale of a State correctional police officer.
f. The Civil Service Commission shall promulgate, pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), rules and regulations and establish administrative processes that are reasonable, necessary, and consistent with the provisions of this section.
g. A sheriff's investigator in a sheriff's department shall be eligible for appointment in accordance with this section through transfer to a sheriff's officer position in that same department provided that:
(1) the investigator has completed at least one year in the position of sheriff's investigator in that sheriff's department or has served at least one year as a police officer or sheriff's officer in a municipal or county police or sheriff's department in this State; and
(2) the sheriff's investigator is not over 35 years of age at the time of initial appointment in accordance with this section to the sheriff's officer position.
Beginning on January 1, 2023, a sheriff shall not appoint sheriff's investigators in accordance with this section to more than 50 percent of open sheriff's officer positions in any calendar year.
L.2021, c.7, s.1; amended 2021, c.406, s.1.

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