Weinberg-Turner ‘Muni Shuffle’ Bill Clears Committee

Trenton – In an effort to keep ‘bad actors’ from being unwittingly hired by other law enforcement agencies, the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee cleared legislation that would require the release of officers’ personal history, including incidences of misconduct, when they apply for a position in another agency. The bill is sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg and Senator Shirley Turner.

“Law enforcement officers are given an immense amount of power and responsibility and the vast majority serve with great deference to the badge,” said Senator Weinberg (D-Bergen). “If they don’t, however, it should be reviewable by any agency being asked to hire them in the future. All employers want to trust that the person they hire will be able to do their job and uphold the required work standards, but that is especially true in law enforcement where people’s lives are on the line.”

The bill, S-1482/A-744, would codify and strengthen Attorney General Grewal’s December 2019 directive which required law enforcement agencies to provide internal affairs and personnel files of law enforcement officers to other law enforcement agencies.

“While the majority of law enforcement officers are good people, we cannot forget that one bad apple spoils the bunch,” said Senator Turner (D-Middlesex/Mercer). “This legislation will increase accountability and help ensure that bad actors are not just moving to different police departments after serious conduct violations.”

The practice of allowing an officer to retire, rather than being fired, and maintaining their state credentials while they search for positions in other agencies is common enough to be dubbed the “muni shuffle”.

The bill was released from committee by a vote of 12-0.