Bill > A1198

Introduced Session

This bill establishes in the Department of Law and Public Safety an 18-month "Law Enforcement Addiction Intervention Pilot Program," which would refer certain nonviolent offenders to an appropriate treatment program. The pilot program would be established in Burlington County. Under the pilot program, the Attorney General is required to establish a county-wide addiction intervention task force which would work under the direction of the county prosecutor to identify persons charged with non-violent disorderly persons offenses as a result of, or related to, substance use disorders. The task force is to be comprised of 21 members, including: the Attorney General or a designee; the Burlington County Sheriff or a designee; four public members appointed by the Governor, each of whom are to have experience working in recovery centers in Burlington County; and representatives from 15 law enforcement agencies in Burlington County which reflect a representative sample of the geographic locations and population sizes of the municipalities within the county. In addition, individuals who voluntarily enter a police department and request assistance with their addiction may receive assistance from a member of the department. The bill provides that a person is not to be arrested for certain drug possession crimes when asking for assistance with his or her addiction. Members of the task force would be required to refer persons with substance use disorders to a trained recovery coach, an organization dedicated to providing addiction treatment services, or an organization capable of referring persons to a program that provides addiction treatment services. In order to evaluate the effectiveness of pre-arrest or post-arrest treatment referral programs, the task force would be required to develop recommendations for procedures by which participating law enforcement agencies may monitor the progress of persons referred for treatment. The bill requires the Director of the Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services in the Department of Human Services, in consultation with the Attorney General and the county prosecutor, to develop a curriculum for training law enforcement officers on police interactions with persons with substance use disorders. Once developed, at least one law enforcement officer from each law enforcement agency in the county would be trained utilizing the curriculum. The curriculum is required to include, but not be limited to, the following subjects: (1) identification and recognition of different forms of behavioral issues related to substance use disorders; (2) techniques, including relevant language training, which may be used by law enforcement officers to intervene with, interview, and de-escalate a person who may have a substance use disorder; (3) issues relating to suicide and prevention techniques; and (4) an overview of community resources and options for treatment, including identification of local resources. The bill requires the Attorney General to submit to the Governor and Legislature a report containing an evaluation of the pilot program not more than 30 days following the expiration of the pilot program. The report is to make recommendations concerning the effectiveness of the pre-arrest and post-arrest diversion techniques employed during the pilot program and methods by which law enforcement agencies may effectively work with partners in the recovery community and treatment providers to assist people struggling with addiction, as well as their families. In addition, the report is to recommend whether the pilot program should be continued as a Statewide program. The bill appropriates $75,000 from the General Fund for expenses incurred in connection with the pilot program.

AI Summary

Committee Categories

Carol Murphy (D)*, 

Introduced, Referred to Assembly Public Safety and Preparedness Committee (on 01/09/2024)

Official Document