(TRENTON) NJFOP applauds Governor Phil Murphy for signing A-1400 into law today.

“This new law is a real plus for our members while also providing added protection for students in both public and non-public schools, including county colleges,” says NJFOP President Robert W. Fox.

Fox continued, “We have pushed hard for this additional category and are thrilled that our lobbying efforts have paid off.”

P.L.2016, c.68 established an additional category of “Class Three” special law enforcement officers under the Special Law Enforcement Officers’ Act to provide security in this State’s public and nonpublic schools and county colleges. A person currently is eligible to be appointed as a Class Three special law enforcement officer if he or she is a retired police officer less than 65 years old and has served as a duly qualified, fully-trained, full-time municipal or county police officer or was regularly employed as a full-time member of the State Police within the previous three years. The person also has to be physically capable of performing the job and have the appropriate law enforcement and safe schools resource officer training. These officers may only be employed to assist municipal police departments and are not to be employed to replace or substitute for full-time police officers. They may only be hired in a part-time capacity.