§ 40:2401 — Findings and policy

§2401. Findings and policy
The legislature finds all of the following:
(1) Law enforcement work is of such importance to the health, safety, and
welfare of the people of this state and is of such a nature as to require education and
training of a professional character. The needs of such education and training can be
met only by programs adequate in quality and scope and made available to those
persons who are serving as such officers including those in a temporary or
probationary capacity. Education should also be made available to persons who seek
to become peace officers, and this education should be supervised by a special
council composed of persons experienced in law enforcement work and the training
thereof rather than any other general board composed of nonlaw-enforcement
members.
(2) Part-time, volunteer, and reserve peace officers have been utilized for
decades by many police departments around the state and nation and have
traditionally served as a valuable remedy to combat staffing shortages and to provide
additional security during natural disasters and at events attracting large groups of
people. These reserve, volunteer, and part-time peace officers have routinely been
men and women who volunteered to serve their communities by freely giving their
time and talent to assist their local law enforcement agencies and often received no
monetary compensation whatsoever for their considerable past law enforcement
experience.

Legislative History

Added by Acts 1976, No. 397, §1; Acts 2024, No. 322, §1, eff. May 28, 2024.