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There are set forth below sections of the Police Training Act (PTA) 52:17B-66 et.seq., which govern the eligibility of a police officer nominated to attend a basic police training school in the State of New Jersey.
The Police Training Commission in accord with the PTA requires that these requirements be strictly adhered to prior to the nomination of a police officer to a basic training program.

13:1-1.1 Definition

“Police Officer” means any employee of a law enforcement agency, a correctional agency or a juvenile justice agency who, by statute, comes under the jurisdiction of the Commission or any member of a fire department or force who is assigned to an arson investigation unit pursuant to public law 1981, Chapter 409.

13:1-8.1 Certification required prior to acceptance of trainees into a basic course

Prior to the acceptance of a trainee into a basic course, the chief of police or chief executive officer of the employing law enforcement agency shall certify by completing a trainee record card issued by the Commission that:

1. With respect to police officers as defined by this chapter, the appointing authority has complied with the provisions of N.J.S.A. 52:17B-68.1 and 69 and 18A:6-4.4 including, but not limited to, the following:

a. The individual has received a probationary appointment; and
b. The individual has been granted a leave of absence with pay during the period of the police training course;

2. With respect to special law enforcement officers, the local unit has complied with the provisions of N.J.S.A. 40A:14-146.8 et seq. concerning the appointment of the individual;

3. The employing law enforcement agency has fingerprinted the individual and sent copies of the fingerprints to the Division of State Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation in order to ascertain whether the individual has been convicted of an offense which would disqualify him or her from appointment as a police officer. The results obtained from the Division of State Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation shall be made known to the appointing authority;

4. The employing law enforcement agency has conducted a pre-employment or background investigation of the individual to ascertain his or her character, fitness and eligibility to be permanently appointed as a police officer. The results of the pre-employment or background investigation shall be made known to the appointing authority; and

5. The individual has undergone a medical examination by a licensed physician to determine if the individual is medically fit to undergo training. The physician shall state, on a form prescribed by the Commission, whether the individual is medically fit to undergo the training for which the individual is enrolled.

13:1-8.2 Notification of school director

An appropriate official from the employing law enforcement agency seeking to enroll an individual in a Basic Course shall notify the school director in writing, 10 days prior to the commencement of the course, that the agency has complied with its responsibilities as provided in this subchapter. In the event an agency is unable to comply with this section, the agency shall forward a written request to the Commission for an extension of time and shall indicate the reason(s) for the request. Failure to comply with respect to this notification may result in the affected individual being denied admittance into the basic course.

52:17B-68.1. Basic training, course for investigators

A person appointed as an adult or juvenile corrections officer or as a juvenile detention
officer by the State or county shall satisfactorily complete prior to permanent appointment a basic training course approved by the Police Training Commission. A corrections officer or juvenile detention officer who was appointed before the effective date of this act shall satisfactorily complete, within two years of the effective date of this act, an in-service basic training course approved by the Police Training Commission and designed to meet the training needs of corrections officers or juvenile detention officers with prior work experience.

A person may be exempt from the requirements of this section if that person has successfully
completed training conducted by a federal, State or county agency the requirements of which are substantially equivalent to the requirements of a basic training course approved by the Police Training Commission pursuant to section 4 of this act.

A person shall be given a probationary appointment as a corrections officer or as a juvenile detention officer for a period of one year so that the person seeking permanent appointment may satisfactorily complete a basic training course for corrections officers or for juvenile detention officers conducted at a school approved by the Police Training Commission. The probationary time may exceed one year for those persons enrolled within the one-year period in a basic training course scheduled to end after the expiration of the one-year period. A person shall participate in a basic training course only if that person holds a probationary appointment and that person shall be entitled to a leave of absence with pay to attend a basic training course.

Prior to permanent appointment, a person appointed as an investigator in the Department of Corrections shall satisfactorily complete a basic course for investigators approved by the Police Training Commission.

52:17B-69. Probationary, temporary appointment as police officer

Notwithstanding the provisions of R.S.11:22-6, a probationary or temporary appointment as a
police officer may be made for a total period not exceeding one year for the purpose of enabling a person seeking permanent appointment to take a police training course as prescribed in this act, provided, however, that the time period may exceed one year for those persons enrolled prior to the one-year limit in a police training course scheduled to end subsequent to the one-year limit, and for those persons who, prior to the one-year limit, have been scheduled to attend a police training course which commences subsequent to the one-year limit. In no case shall any extension granted for the reasons herein listed exceed six months. Every person holding such a probationary or temporary appointment shall enroll in a police training course, and such appointee shall be entitled to a leave of absence with pay during the period of the police training course.

18A:6-4.4. Police training course

Every person so appointed and commissioned shall, within 1 year of the date of his commission, successfully complete a police training course at a school approved and authorized by the Police Training Commission; provided, however, that the Police Training Commission may, in its discretion, except from the requirements of this section any person who demonstrates to the commission’s satisfaction that he has successfully completed a police training course conducted by any Federal, State or other public or private agency, the requirements of which are substantially equivalent to the requirements of that at a school approved by the commission.

13:1-5.1 Certification requirements; basic courses

A trainee shall be eligible for certification when the school director affirms that:

1. The trainee has achieved the minimum requirements set forth in the basic course applicable to his or her appointment and has demonstrated an acceptable degree of proficiency in the performance objectives contained in the particular basic course;
2. The trainee has participated in no less than 90 percent of the total instructional time assigned to those performance objectives designed by the Commission; and
3. The trainee has successfully completed the training required by the Commission to be conducted by the employing law enforcement agency.

The Ocean County Police Academy is currently certified to conduct the following Commission approved Pre-Service training courses:

• Basic Course for Police Officers (BCPO)
• Basic Course for Special Law Enforcement Officers Class I (SLEO I)
• Basic Course for Special Law Enforcement Officers Class II (SLEO II)
• Basic Course for County Corrections Officers (BCCCO)
• Basic Course for Humane Law Enforcement Officers Phase One (HLEO)