Bill Text: NJ AR123 | 2024-2025 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Urges Attorney General and Department of Education to regularly update "Law Enforcement Directive No. 2007-1" and "School Safety and Security Manual: Best Practices Guidelines."

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 2-0)

Status: (Introduced) 2024-03-14 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Education Committee [AR123 Detail]

Download: New_Jersey-2024-AR123-Introduced.html

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ASSEMBLY RESOLUTION No. 123

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

221st LEGISLATURE

 

INTRODUCED MARCH 14, 2024

 

 

Sponsored by:

Assemblywoman  NANCY F. MUÑOZ

District 21 (Middlesex, Morris, Somerset and Union)

Assemblywoman  MICHELE MATSIKOUDIS

District 21 (Middlesex, Morris, Somerset and Union)

 

 

 

 

SYNOPSIS

     Urges Attorney General and Department of Education to regularly update "Law Enforcement Directive No. 2007-1" and "School Safety and Security Manual: Best Practices Guidelines."

 

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

     As introduced.

  

An Assembly Resolution urging the Attorney General and the Department of Education to update certain school security guidance documents.

 

Whereas, Ensuring a safe and protected learning environment for our State's school children is of paramount importance; and

Whereas, In the last several years, various State agencies, task forces, and committees have issued reports and other documents containing recommendations and guidance designed to improve the safety and security of New Jersey's schools; and

Whereas, In September 2004, the New Jersey Department of Education issued the "School Safety and Security Manual: Best Practices Guidelines" to assist schools in establishing security measures including, but not limited to, convening school planning teams; developing protocols for school building access control; implementing school perimeter security measures; collaborating with local law enforcement and government officials; and updating school communications procedures and emergency plans; and

Whereas, The School Safety and Security Manual: Best Practices Guidelines was updated and expanded in 2007 to incorporate information on additional security topics, including site-specific vulnerability assessments, target hardening and mitigation measures, communication protocols, crisis response, and gang awareness; and

Whereas, In July 2007, the Attorney General of New Jersey issued "Law Enforcement Directive No. 2007-1," which required every law enforcement agency in the State to maintain policies and procedures to enhance school security and safety in the subject areas of bomb threats, active shooter response, school lockdowns, school evacuations, and public information; and

Whereas, Following the issuance of Law Enforcement Directive No. 2007-1, model policies in each of the subject areas were distributed to law enforcement agencies to assist them in implementing the directive; and

Whereas, The Department of Education's School Safety and Security Manual: Best Practices Guidelines and the Attorney General's Law Enforcement Directive No. 2007-1 have not been subject to any significant review or revision since 2007; and

Whereas, Given the vital importance of school safety and security in today's age, it is prudent for these documents to reflect the most current information on best practices in school security for both school personnel and law enforcement; and

Whereas, Ensuring that law enforcement officials and school personnel are equipped with up-to-date information on best practices for school security will assist in the prevention and mitigation of school safety emergencies, as well as improving response times when an emergency does occur; now, therefore,

     Be It Resolved by the General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

 

     1.    This House respectfully urges the New Jersey Department of Education to review and revise, as appropriate and on a regular basis, the "School Safety and Security Manual: Best Practices Guidelines" in order to ensure that the manual reflects the most current information on best practices to assist schools in establishing plans and procedures to enhance school safety and security.

 

     2.    This House respectfully urges the Attorney General of the State of New Jersey to review and revise, as appropriate and on a regular basis, "Law Enforcement Directive No. 2007-1" and its companion model policies in order to ensure that they reflect the most current information on best practices to assist law enforcement agencies in enhancing school safety and security.

 

     3.    Copies of this resolution, as filed with the Secretary of State, shall be transmitted by the Clerk of the General Assembly to the Department of Education and the Attorney General of the State of New Jersey.

 

 

STATEMENT

 

     This resolution urges the Department of Education to regularly review and revise the "School Safety and Security Manual: Best Practices Guidelines" in order to ensure that school personnel are equipped with the most current information on best practices for school safety and security.  In addition, the resolution urges the New Jersey Attorney General to regularly review and revise "Law Enforcement Directive No. 2007-1" and the model policies that were distributed to law enforcement agencies to assist them in implementing the directive.  These documents have not been subject to significant review or revision since 2007.  Given the vital importance of school safety and security in today's age, the documents should reflect the most current information on best practices in school safety and security for both school personnel and law enforcement.