ASSEMBLY STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT
COMMITTEE
STATEMENT TO
ASSEMBLY, No. 2884
with committee amendments
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
DATED: MARCH 4, 2024
The Assembly State and Local Government Committee reports
favorably and with committee amendments Assembly Bill No. 2884.
As amended, 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, including time taken
during such public employment to complete a basic police training
course required for that employment.
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 enrollment in 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.
This bill was prefiled for introduction in the 2024-2025 session
pending technical review. As reported, the bill includes the changes
required by technical review, which has been performed.
COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS :
The committee amended the bill to: permit the purchase of service
credit for time spent in training for a position as a class two special law
enforcement officer; change the basis for eligibility to purchase service 2
credit for class two special law enforcement officers to be based upon
the date of their enrollment in the retirement system, rather than their
appointment to a position covered by the system; and to require the
board of trustees of the Police and Firemen’s Retirement System to
notify all members of the retirement system of the provisions of this
bill.