Bill Text: NJ A4058 | 2020-2021 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Prohibits law enforcement agencies from considering number of arrests made and citations issued when evaluating police officer's professional performance.
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2021-06-21 - Substituted by S1322 (1R) [A4058 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2020-A4058-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman HAROLD "HAL" J. WIRTHS
District 24 (Morris, Sussex and Warren)
Co-Sponsored by:
Assemblyman Space
SYNOPSIS
Prohibits law enforcement agencies from considering number of arrests made and citations issued when evaluating police officer's professional performance.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning quotas for arrests and citations and amending P.L.2000, c.164.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. Section 2 of P.L.2000, c.164 (C.40A:14-181.2) is amended to read as follows:
2. a. A State, county or municipal police department or force engaged in the enforcement of Title 39 of the Revised Statutes or any local ordinance adopted pursuant to this title shall not establish any quota for arrests or citations. The department or force may, however, collect, analyze and apply information concerning the number of arrests and citations in order to ensure that a particular officer or group of officers does not violate any applicable legal obligation and for the purpose of forwarding that information to the Superintendent of State Police for inclusion in the Uniform Crime Report.
b. The department or force shall not use the number of arrests or citations issued by a law enforcement officer [as the sole] when evaluating the performance of a law enforcement officer, or as a criterion for promotion, demotion, dismissal, discipline, or the earning of any benefit provided by the department or force. [Any such arrests or citations, and their ultimate dispositions, may be considered in evaluating the overall performance of a law enforcement officer.]
(cf: P.L.2000, c.164, s.2)
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill prohibits law enforcement agencies from using the volume of an officer's arrests or citations as a factor when evaluating that officer's overall performance or when making personnel determinations such as promotions, demotions and other benefits of employment. The bill provides that a law enforcement agency may collect, analyze and apply information concerning the number of arrests and citations for the purpose of forwarding that information to the Superintendent of State Police for inclusion in the Uniform Crime Report.
Under current law, State and local law enforcement agencies are prohibited from establishing policies requiring officers to meet quotas for arrests and citations in enforcing the State's motor vehicle code. However, these agencies may consider arrest and citation data as part of the officer's overall performance evaluation. This bill prohibits this practice.
