Correction Officers Must Be Treated Fairly

Vineland - Affirming his support of our State’s law enforcement officers, Senator Nick Asselta introduced the first bill of a package on Thursday, May 18 to retitle our State correction officers as State correctional police officers.
Vineland - Affirming his support of our State’s law enforcement officers, Senator Nick Asselta introduced the first bill of a package on Thursday, May 18 to retitle our State correction officers as State correctional police officers.

“State correction officers currently have general police powers. Unfortunately, their title has mislead the general public to narrowly view these officers as prison guards rather than law enforcement officers,� stated Senator Asselta. “Senate Bill 1918 addresses this matter as well as clarifying their law enforcement powers.�

In addition to S-1918, Senator Asselta will be introducing the final two bills to complete the package at the next Senate quorum on June 8. One proposal will be known as the “State Corrections Officers’ Bill of Rights.� This measure establishes specific rights, privileges and protections for State correction officers who are subject to charges which, after investigation, might lead to disciplinary hearings and actions. It lays out procedural rights and protections that all officers should be afforded in a disciplinary setting.

The final bill to complete the set will authorize paid leaves of absence for certain corrections officers to attend any State or national convention of their employee organization (i.e., union). Currently, only the duly authorized representatives of employee organizations affiliated with police and fire organizations are eligible for these paid leaves of absences.

“The State Corrections Officers’ package will correct an inequity that presently exists in their administrative system. They put their life on the line every day in the same manner that police officers and firefighters do, and should be treated as such,� concluded Senator Asselta. “I look forward to working with the officers and my colleagues to advance these measures through the legislative process.�