New Jersey will join more than 40 other states across the nation in creating a statewide police licensing program if newly announced legislation is enacted. The legislation would require all police officers to hold a valid, active license issued by the Police Training Commission in order to be employed in the state.
The idea was first proposed and gained support in 2020 after an officer in Woodlynne, Camden County moved around to nine different police departments due to multiple cases of misconduct. Advocates say a licensing system would give New Jersey a database to track misconduct and prevent that from happening elsewhere. If the measure becomes law, licenses would be subject to renewal every three years and officers would have to pass psychological and other training requirements.
