§ 40A:14-200 — Definitions relative to suspension, termination of certain law enforcement officers, firefighters.

1. As used in this act: "Law enforcement agency" or "agency" means any public agency, other than the Department of Law and Public Safety, but not including the Youth Justice Commission, any police force, department, or division within the State, or any county or municipality thereof, which is empowered by statute to act for the detection, investigation, arrest, conviction, detention, or rehabilitation of persons violating the criminal laws of this State. "Law enforcement officer" or "officer" means any person who is employed as a permanent full-time member of any State, county, or municipal law enforcement agency, department, or division of those governments who is statutorily empowered to act for the detection, investigation, arrest, conviction, detention, or rehabilitation of persons violating the criminal laws of this State and statutorily required to successfully complete a training course approved by, or certified as being substantially equivalent to such an approved course, by the Police Training Commission pursuant to P.L.1961, c.56 (C.52:17B-66 et seq.). "Paid firefighter" or "firefighter" means any full-time paid firefighter employed by a public fire department. "Public fire department" or "department" means any department of a municipality, county, fire district or the State or any agency thereof having employees engaged in firefighting provided that such firefighting employees are included in a negotiating unit exclusively comprised of firefighting employees. L.2009, c.16, s.1; amended 2025, c.35, s.58.