TRENTON – Legislation sponsored by Senators Donald Norcross (D-Camden/Gloucester) and Jim Whelan (D-Atlantic) to help get laid-off law enforcement officers back to work sooner and save hiring agencies training-related costs today was signed into law yesterday by Governor Chris Christie.
The law (S-1800/A-207) will allow county sheriff’s departments and state law enforcement agencies to hire laid-off officers without having to utilize Civil Service lists, provided the officer was in good standing as an employee at the time of the lay off. The appointing authority of County Correctional Facilities also will be authorized to hire officers who have been laid off by other county correctional facilities using the same process.
“As the economy rebounds, this will help get law enforcement officers back to work sooner, while at the same time providing public agencies an opportunity to save taxpayer money by hiring officers who already have experience in the field,” said Senator Norcross. “From both a public safety and a fiscal perspective, this just makes sense.”