40A:14-178 Liability for training costs; terms defined.

1. a. Whenever a person who resigned as a member of a county or municipal law enforcement agency is appointed to another county or municipal law enforcement agency, the police department of an educational institution pursuant to P.L.1970, c.211 (C.18A:6-4.2 et seq.), a State law enforcement agency or the New Jersey Transit Police Department pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1989, c.291 (C.27:25-15.1) within 120 days of resignation, and that person held a probationary appointment at the time of resignation or held a permanent appointment for 30 days or less prior to resignation, the county or municipal law enforcement agency, educational institution or State law enforcement agency appointing the person, or the New Jersey Transit Corporation, is liable to the former county or municipal employer, as appropriate, for the total certified costs incurred by the former employer in the examination, hiring, and training of the person.

b. Whenever a person who resigned as a member of a county or municipal law enforcement agency is appointed to another county or municipal law enforcement agency, the police department of an educational institution pursuant to P.L.1970, c.211 (C.18A:6-4.2 et seq.), State law enforcement agency or the New Jersey Transit Police Department pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1989, c.291 (C.27:25-15.1) within 120 days of resignation, and that person, at the time of resignation held a permanent appointment for more than 30 days but less than two years, the county or municipal law enforcement agency, educational institution, or State law enforcement agency appointing the person, or the New Jersey Transit Corporation, is liable to the former county or municipal employer, as appropriate, for one-half of the total certified costs incurred by the former employer in the examination, hiring and training of that person.

c. Upon the appointment of a former member of a county or municipal law enforcement agency, the appointing county or municipal law enforcement agency, educational institution, State law enforcement agency or the New Jersey Transit Corporation shall notify the former employer immediately upon the appointment of a former employee and shall reimburse the former employer within 120 days of the receipt of the certified costs.

d. For the purposes of this act:

"County or municipal law enforcement agency" means and includes, but is not limited to, a county or municipal police department or force, a county corrections department and a county sheriff's office;

"Examination costs" means and includes, but is not limited to, the costs of all qualifying examinations and the public advertisements for these examinations;

"State law enforcement agency" means and includes, but is not limited to, the police department of a State agency and the State Department of Corrections, but does not include the State Police; and

"Training costs" means the police training course fees and the base salary received while attending the police training course, as required by P.L.1961, c.56 (C.52:17B-66 et seq.).

L.1987,c.47,s.1; amended 1989, c.40, s.1; 2000, c.106, s.1.