Bill

Bill > A3712


NJ A3712

NJ A3712
Requires Attorney General to establish model duty-to-intervene policy for law enforcement officers; requires entities that employ law enforcement officers to adopt duty-to-intervene policy.


summary

Introduced
01/13/2026
In Committee
01/13/2026
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead

Introduced Session

2026-2027 Regular Session

Bill Summary

This bill requires the Attorney General to establish a model duty-to-intervene policy for law enforcement officers, and requires each agency, department, or other entity that employs law enforcement officers in the State to adopt the policy or one that is substantially identical. Under the bill, the policy would be required to include an affirmative duty to intervene if a law enforcement officer witnesses another law enforcement officer engage in any of the following: (1) an unjustifiable use of force; (2) a deprivation of civil rights; (3) any other act which constitutes a criminal offense in this State; and (4) any other act requiring intervention, as determined by the Attorney General. The bill also requires the policy to include disciplinary action for a law enforcement officer who fails to intervene when required under its provisions. The bill further provides that each agency, department, or other entity that employs law enforcement officers in this State would be required to adopt the policy established by the Attorney General or a policy that is substantially identical. An entity adopting its own policy would be required to make application to the Attorney General for approval of the policy prior to adoption. Additionally, the bill contains reporting requirements. Under the bill's provisions, entities that employ law enforcement officers would be required to report on a quarterly annual basis to the Attorney General each incidence of an intervention committed by a law enforcement officer employed by the entity for that time period. The Attorney General would be required to report annually to the Legislature a summary of the quarterly reports.

AI Summary

This bill requires the Attorney General to create a model policy that mandates law enforcement officers to intervene when they witness another officer using unjustifiable force, violating civil rights, committing any criminal offense, or engaging in other acts requiring intervention as defined by the Attorney General; this policy must also outline disciplinary actions for officers who fail to intervene. Furthermore, all entities employing law enforcement officers, such as police departments, must adopt this model policy or a very similar one, and if they create their own, they must get it approved by the Attorney General beforehand. These employing entities will also need to report to the Attorney General quarterly on any instances where an officer intervened, and the Attorney General will then compile this information into an annual report for the Legislature.

Committee Categories

Military Affairs and Security

Sponsors (1)

Last Action

Introduced, Referred to Assembly Public Safety and Preparedness Committee (on 01/13/2026)

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