Towards the beginning of last month I covered at Bearing Arms a story about New Jersey’s police now being subjected to licensing standards. The long of the short of it was that the N.J. The Policemen’s Benevolent Association was adamantly against the creation of a licensing scheme in order for cops to have jobs. The PBA even quipped, “Licensing was not something we chose to be subjected to…” in a statement on their site. As if we’re supposed to feel bad for them. Insert some chicken come home to roost analogy here, because the comment period is almost up on the licensing. I think we ought to let them know what we think.
Those of you from the Garden State must remember the pushback we got from the PBA when the so-called “carry-killer” bill was being debated. Just like the rest of the goose stepping “leadership” in the executive branch in the Land of 1000 Diners, the PBA was in favor of the provisions that stripped regular citizens of their newly acquired right to bear arms.
Through a release from Attorney General Matthew “Stuart Little” Platkin’s office, we’ve learned the comment period on regulations governing the licenses for police officers is rapidly coming to an end. Platkin, also in favor of squishing civil liberties whenever he can, actually fell asleep during the oral arguments in the Koons case at the Third Circuit Court of Appeals last fall.
The proposed rules apply to both law enforcement officer applicants and law enforcement officers. Under the proposed rules, applicants must disclose social media accounts and provide access to those accounts as part of the background check process; whereas current officers will not have to provide access to their social media accounts unless there is probable cause to believe the account has been used in a manner that violates New Jersey’s Police Licensing Act and/or the accompanying regulations.
The proposed rules also contain clarifications to existing rules regarding pre-employment qualifications, the Commission’s appeal jurisdiction, the standards for medical examinations, and the unauthorized disclosure of confidential records. These clarifications were made in response to comments received by the PTC during the course of prior rulemaking.
The new rule proposal was published in the New Jersey Register on January 16, 2024. The public has until March 16, 2024, to submit comments with regard to this proposal. Written comments should be sent via overnight mail or regular mail to the below address, or emailed to PTC@njdcj.org:
Police Training Commission
Division of Criminal Justice
Attention: PTC Public Comments
Richard J. Hughes Justice Complex
P.O. Box 085
Trenton, NJ 08625-0085
We don’t have a whole lot of time to get our comments in, but sending your thoughts via email would be appreciated, I’m sure. There’s a lot to unpack here and ultimately speaking you need to go with your heart on this one. Potential comments about the rulemaking could revolve around the following thoughts:
- The police should have to disclose all of their social media accounts, without exception. Including current officers.
- The police should be subjected to may-issuing permitting where the license could be rejected if a citizen panel thinks “the issuance would otherwise not be in the interest of the public health, safety and welfare.”
- All police officers must supply four character references, not related to them by blood or law, in order to apply for or renew their license.
- No officer may be addicted to federally illegal drugs or be a habitual drunkard. They must pass a DOT drug screen panel.
- Any officer or officer candidate that has received mental health help or care from any practitioner is disqualified from being able to have a license.
- Officer candidates who have been accused of any domestic violence or accused of threatening bodily harm to anyone may not apply for a license.
- Licenses shall cost $400.00 and only be good for two years.
- Mandatory fingerprinting that’s conducted by a 3rd party must occur prior to application and applicant must pay for this service.
- Applicants must have their applications delayed beyond any statutory time limit and must be caused to wait up to two years to be approved.
You get the idea. Whatever you can come up with in addition to those ideas and thoughts, I’m sure will be wonderful. By all means alter and change these points, they’re just a guideline on things that you might want to address.
We’re living in a system of “us” vs. “them,” that the New Jersey government created. The N.J. State Police clearly drew a line in the sand more than one time and has doubled down on making sure that the taxpayers who pay their salaries remain sub-human to them.
N.J. police “leadership” has continually supported policies that are unconstitutional and now are whining like a pile of babies because they too are now subject to licensing provisions. Let them have the full nine yards. They’ve earned it. The whole lot of the high brass are a bunch of oath breaking cretins.
While I have nothing but respect and pity for the rank and file police officer in N.J., nothing is going to change unless they too speak up for the people. At a minimum, it would not hurt if the rank and file officers stood with us even when Murphy’s lap dogs, Stuart Platkin and Patrick Colligan, faithfully execute every order his highness issues without question – you know, “just following orders.”
Remember to email your comments about what kind of regulations and rules the police should be subject to over at PTC@njdcj.org. It would not hurt to CC the N.J. PBA to let them know how much they suck as well. Remember, their organization supported the stripping of your rights, don’t send them another dime and give em’ a piece of your mind info@njspba.com.
Appreciate seeing the 2A community take the boot out of their throats finally