TRENTON – A measure sponsored by Senator Fred H. Madden that would provide training for safe schools resource officers and public school employees serving as liaisons to law enforcement received final legislative approval today in the Senate by a vote of 38-0.
“In emergency situations, school resource officers and teachers serve as the first line of defense for the safety of our children,” said Senator Madden, D-Camden and Gloucester. “These teachers and officers should receive the best and most comprehensive safety-training possible so that, should a dangerous or violent situation arise, they are prepared to step in and protect their students.”
Senator Madden’s measure, S-2162, would require the Division of Criminal Justice’s Police Training Commission to work with the Attorney General to develop a training course to help ensure that more school employees are skilled in current school resource officer concepts and practices. Courses would be open to any law enforcement office or public school employee referred by the local board of education in districts seeking a safe school resource officer or school law enforcement liaison, and to any current safe school resource officer or school law enforcement liaison.
Following the development of the training course, boards of education would be prohibited from assigning safe schools resource officers or school law enforcement liaisons that have not completed the course.
This measure was approved by the Senate Education Committee in May. It now heads to the Governor’s desk, where his signature would make it State law.