Bill Text: NJ S2801 | 2024-2025 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Requires cultural diversity and implicit bias training be included in police basic training curriculum.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced) 2024-02-22 - Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Law and Public Safety Committee [S2801 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2024-S2801-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Senator SHIRLEY K. TURNER
District 15 (Hunterdon and Mercer)
SYNOPSIS
Requires cultural diversity and implicit bias training be included in police basic training curriculum.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning cultural diversity and implicit bias basic training for police officers, supplementing P.L.2016, c.23, and amending P.L.1961, c.56.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. (New section) a. The Police Training Commission shall include in the basic training course curriculum for police officers the cultural diversity and implicit bias training course materials developed or identified by the Department of Law and Public Safety pursuant to section 1 of P.L.2016, c.23 (C.52:17B-77.13).
b. For the purposes of this section, "implicit bias" means having attitudes towards people or associating stereotypes with them without conscious knowledge.
2. Section 6 of P.L.1961, c.56 (C.52:17B-71) is amended to read as follows:
6. The commission shall establish requisite standards for the training of law enforcement officers and oversee the implementation of those standards.
The commission shall have the authority:
a. To prescribe standards for the approval and continuation of approval of schools at which police training courses authorized by this act and in-service police training courses shall be conducted, including but not limited to currently existing regional, county, municipal, and police chief association police training schools or at which basic training courses and in-service training courses shall be conducted for State and county juvenile and adult correctional police officers and juvenile detention officers;
b. To approve and issue certificates of approval to these schools, to inspect the schools from time to time, and to revoke any approval or certificate issued to the schools;
c. To prescribe the curriculum, the minimum courses of study, attendance requirements, equipment and facilities, and standards of operation for these schools and prescribe psychological and psychiatric examinations for police recruits;
d. To prescribe minimum qualifications for instructors at these schools and to certify, as qualified, instructors for approved police training schools and to issue appropriate certificates to the instructors; minimum qualifications for these instructors shall include specialized training in cultural diversity and implicit bias in policing;
e. To certify law enforcement officers who have satisfactorily completed training programs and to issue appropriate certificates to the officers;
f. To advise and consent in the appointment of an administrator of police services by the Attorney General pursuant to section 8 of P.L.1961, c.56 (C.52:17B-73);
g. (Deleted by amendment, P.L.1985, c.491)
h. To make rules and regulations as may be reasonably necessary or appropriate to accomplish the purposes and objectives of this act;
i. To make a continuous study of police training methods and training methods for law enforcement officers and to consult and accept the cooperation of any recognized federal or State law enforcement agency or educational institution;
j. To consult and cooperate with universities, colleges, and institutes in the State for the development of specialized courses of study for law enforcement officers in police science and police administration;
k. To consult and cooperate with other departments and agencies of the State concerned with police training or the training of law enforcement officers;
l. To participate in unified programs and projects relating to police training and the training of law enforcement officers sponsored by any federal, State, or other public or private agency;
m. To perform other acts as may be necessary or appropriate to carry out its functions and duties as set forth in this act;
n. To extend the time limit for satisfactory completion of police training programs or programs for the training of law enforcement officers upon a finding that health, extraordinary workload, or other factors have, singly or in combination, effected a delay in the satisfactory completion of the training program;
o. (1) To furnish approved schools, for inclusion in their regular police training courses and curriculum, with information concerning the advisability of high-speed chases, the risk caused by them, and the benefits resulting from them, and to include any other relevant police training courses that will assist the commission in providing efficient training;
(2) To consult the New Jersey State Police with respect to its administration of police training courses or programs for the training of law enforcement officers to be certified as a Drug Recognition Expert for detecting, identifying, and apprehending drug-impaired motor vehicle operators, and to consult with the Cannabis Regulatory Commission established by 31 of P.L.2019, c.153 (C.24:6I-24) with respect to any aspects of the course curricula that focus on impairment from the use of cannabis items as defined by section 3 of P.L.2021, c.16 (C.24:6I-33) or marijuana.
p. (Deleted by amendment, P.L.2022, c.65)
q. To administer and distribute the monies in the Law Enforcement Officers Training and Equipment Fund established by section 9 of P.L.1996, c.115 (C.2C:43-3.3) and make rules and regulations for the administration and distribution of the monies as may be necessary or appropriate to accomplish the purpose for which the fund was established.
(cf: P.L.2022, c.65, s.8)
3. This act shall take effect on the first day of the fourth month next following enactment.
STATEMENT
This bill requires the Police Training Commission in the Division of Criminal Justice in the Department of Law and Public Safety to include cultural diversity and implicit bias training in the basic training course for police officers appointed to a police department or force.
Current law requires the Department of Law and Public Safety to develop or identify a uniform cultural diversity and implicit bias training course, including an online tutorial, which includes instruction promoting positive interaction with all members residing in the community, regardless of their race, ethnicity, religion, or sexual orientation. The training course is available to every State, county, municipal, and campus police department or force for in-service training of its officers. This bill would require this cultural diversity and implicit bias training to be administered to police officers during their mandated basic training. The bill defines "implicit bias" as having attitudes towards people or associating stereotypes with them without conscious knowledge.
Finally, the bill requires instructors at basic training academies for police officers to receive specialized training in cultural diversity and implicit bias in policing.
