MORRIS COUNTY — Assaults on New Jersey law enforcement officers have surged in recent years, prompting Assemblyman Alex Sauickie to push for harsher penalties to deter potential offenders, many of whom are already incarcerated.
On Thursday, September 12, the Assembly Public Safety and Preparedness Committee advanced his bill (A2378), which seeks to increase penalties for assaults on law enforcement officers. Click here for more information.
The proposed legislation would classify assaulting an officer as a second-degree crime, carrying a penalty of up to 10 years in prison and fines up to $150,000. The bill would also prohibit plea deals to reduce charges.
Currently, assaults causing bodily harm to officers are treated as third-degree crimes, punishable by up to five years in prison and fines of $15,000. Assaults without bodily harm are classified as fourth-degree crimes, with penalties of up to 18 months in prison and $10,000 in fines.
Additionally, the bill mandates that anyone using bodily fluids to attack an officer must undergo testing for infectious diseases, with the results made available to the assault victim.
“Not only have attacks on law enforcement officers been rising, but offenders have also resorted to spitting, biting, and other despicable acts that expose officers to disease,” said Sauickie (R-Ocean). “These perpetrators need to understand that such actions will not be tolerated.”
Representatives from the State Troopers Fraternal Association and New Jersey Policemen’s Benevolent Association Local 105, which represent state troopers and corrections officers respectively, reported a sharp increase in assaults over recent years.
In 2022, the Department of Corrections reported 424 attacks on personnel, more than doubling the 200 incidents from the previous year. Nearly half involved the use of bodily fluids, and over 10% of the department’s 4,500-member workforce took leave due to injuries sustained from assaults.
The bill extends protections to law enforcement officers, correctional and probation staff, paid and volunteer firefighters, and emergency medical personnel.
“Law enforcement and emergency workers face unimaginable risks just by doing their jobs,” Sauickie said. “They are often targets for disgusting attacks because of their profession. It’s crucial they know that justice will be served when they are assaulted in the line of duty.”
