ASSEMBLY STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT
COMMITTEE
STATEMENT TO
ASSEMBLY, No. 5469
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
DATED: NOVEMBER 30, 2023
The Assembly State and Local Government Committee reports
favorably Assembly Bill No. 5469.
This bill permits a member of the Police and Firemen's Retirement
System (PFRS) to purchase credit for service as a class two special law
enforcement officer with a public employer in this State, rendered
prior to becoming a member. The member may purchase credit for all
or a portion of the service, not to exceed 10 years.
The member will be required to pay both the member’s and
employer’s share of the cost for the purchase.
The process and cost for the purchase will be the same as the
current process and cost for purchase of service in federal employment
or with the United States military except as otherwise provided.
Purchase of credit for service as a class two special law
enforcement officer will be permitted only if the break between service
as such an officer and the date of their appointment to a position
covered by the PFRS is less than 120 days. Members of the retirement
system who are enrolled on the effective date of this bill will have only
one year from that effective date to apply for such a purchase.
A class two special law enforcement officer is required to complete
a course approved by the Police Training Commission. They are
trained in physical fitness, criminal law, patrol concepts, firearms,
vehicle operations, defensive tactics, handcuffing, and arrest, search,
and seizure. They have similar powers to that of full-time police
officers but on a restricted basis.