New Jersey Police Licensure Law: Effects Of An Additional Enforcer

Effective January 1, 2024, all New Jersey law enforcement officers must maintain and be issued licenses by the Police Training Commission (“PTC”), a government agency in Trenton.  Previously, law enforcement officers (“LEOs”) were subject to oversight by the Office of the Attorney General and County Prosecutors, but their local employers were responsible for the terms and conditions of employment.  In the new licensure regime, municipalities, colleges and other employers of LEOs must learn how the licenses work, what information must be reported to the PTC, and what effect license suspension or removal has in terms of mandatory disciplinary action against officers.  Officers, for their part, now must be concerned not only with internal affairs in their agencies, but on and off-duty incidents that could be reported to the PTC, who then may suspend the license and so notify the LEOs employers.  There are also negotiation issues to be resolved, including the negotiability of license fees and other license-related issues emanating from inter-department transfers. 

Program Coordinator:

• John J. Chrystal III (President, Newark Superior Officers)
• Michael Freeman (New Jersey State PBA)

Moderator:

• Jonathan F. Cohen, Esq. (Plosia Cohen, LLC)

Panelists:

• Robert Cannan, Esq. (Markman & Cannan Law Firm)
• John Cunningham (Administrator, Police Training Commission)
• Arthur R. Thibault, Esq. (Apruzzese, McDermott, Mastro & Murphy, P.C.)