N.J. Stat. tit. 2A, ch. 154

in effect

N.J. Stat. § 2A:154-1 Conservators of the peace; powers and duties

2A:154-1. Any judge of the Superior Court, or of a municipal court shall have power to cause to be kept all laws made or to be made for the conservation of the peace and for the good government of the citizens and inhabitants of this State, within their respective counties, according to the force, form and effect of such laws, and to apprehend, and to cause to come before them, and imprison and punish all persons offending against such laws, or any of them, in their respective counties, in such manner as, according to such laws, shall be right and proper, and to perform and execute all such matters, acts and things as by law appertain to their office, and are or shall be enjoined upon them, or be committed to their charge and execution. L.1951 (1st SS), c.344; amended 1991,c.91,s.123.

N.J. Stat. § 2A:154-2 Qualifications of peace officers

No sheriff or other person authorized to appoint special deputy sheriffs, constables, marshals, policemen or other peace officers in this state, for the purpose of preserving the public peace and preventing or quelling public disturbances, shall appoint as such any person who is not a qualified voter of this state. L.1951 (1st SS), c.344.

N.J. Stat. § 2A:154-3 Powers of certain officers.

2A:154-3. a. All court attendants, sheriff's officers, and county correctional police officers in the competitive class of civil service who have been or who may hereafter be appointed by the sheriff or board of chosen freeholders of any county in this State shall, by virtue of the appointment and in addition to any other power or authority, be empowered to act as officers for the detection, apprehension, arrest, and conviction of offenders against the law. b. In addition to the powers set forth in subsection a. of this section, any county correctional police officer who has satisfactorily completed a basic training course approved by the Police Training Commission, as provided by P.L.1961, c.56 (C.52:17B-66 et seq.), shall have full power of arrest for any crime committed in the officer's presence anywhere within the territorial limits of the State of New Jersey. c. A county correctional police officer who has full power of arrest pursuant to subsection b. of this section, and is acting under lawful authority beyond the territorial limits of the employing county, shall have all of the immunities from tort liability and shall have all of the pension, relief, disability, workers' compensation, insurance, and other benefits enjoyed while performing duties within the employing county. amended 1968, c.326; 1968, c.398; 1993, c.248; 1996, c.40; 2019, c.219, s.2.

N.J. Stat. § 2A:154-4 Authorization to exercise police powers.

1. All correctional police officers of the State of New Jersey and investigators in the Department of Corrections, including all promotional ranks and positions responsible for overseeing correctional police officers and investigators so long as they have an underlying correctional police officer or investigator title, and parole officers employed by the State Parole Board, who have been or who may hereafter be appointed or employed, shall, by virtue of such appointment or employment and in addition to any other power or authority, be empowered to exercise full police powers and to act as peace officers, at all times, for the detection, apprehension, arrest, and conviction of offenders against the law. Correctional police officers empowered with full police powers under this section shall, while performing their duties in a lawful manner, be deemed to be acting under lawful authority and shall enjoy all the immunities from tort liability and shall have all the pension, relief, disability, workmen's compensation, insurance, and other benefits they otherwise enjoy when performing their regular duties. L.1968, c.427, s.1; (Title amended 1982, c.230, s.1); amended 1982, c.230, s.2; 1993, c.246, s.1; 2001, c.79, s.14; 2017, c.293, s.2; 2025, c.243, s.5.

N.J. Stat. § 2A:154-5 Empowerment of federal law enforcement officers.

1. The following persons employed as full-time law enforcement officers by the Federal Government, who are empowered to effect an arrest with or without warrant for violations of the United States Code and who are authorized to carry firearms in the performance of their duties, shall be empowered to act as an officer for the arrest of offenders against the laws of this State where the person reasonably believes that a crime of the first, second or third degree is or is about to be committed or attempted in his presence: Federal Bureau of Investigation special agents; United States Secret Service special agents; Immigration and Naturalization Service special agents, investigators and patrol officers; United States Marshal Service deputies; Drug Enforcement Administration special agents; United States Postal inspectors; United States Postal police officers while in the performance of their official duties; United States Customs Service special agents, inspectors and patrol officers; United States General Services Administration special agents; United States Department of Agriculture special agents; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms special agents; Internal Revenue Service special agents and inspectors; Department of the Interior special agents, investigators, and park rangers; Federal Reserve law enforcement officers while in the performance of their official duties; and United States Department of Defense police officers. L.1983, c.268, s.1; amended 1999, c.218; 2003, c.139; 2004, c.10; 2008, c.42, s.2.

N.J. Stat. § 2A:154-6 Powers of United States Park Police relative to arrest of offenders.

1. Full-time law enforcement officers employed by the Department of the Interior as park police who are empowered to effect an arrest with or without a warrant for violations of the United States Code and who are authorized to carry firearms in the performance of their duties shall be empowered to act as an officer for the arrest of offenders against the laws of this State: a. where the person reasonably believes that a crime of the first, second, or third degree is or is about to be committed or attempted in his presence; and b. where the person reasonably believes that a crime of the fourth degree, a disorderly persons offense, a petty disorderly persons offense, or a violation of Title 39 of the Revised Statutes is or is about to be committed or attempted in his presence on Ellis Island or in Liberty State Park within 500 feet of the ferry terminal serving passengers bound for the Statue of Liberty National Monument or Ellis Island or in Liberty State Park within 500 feet of the access bridge to Ellis Island while that officer is in performance of his official duties. L.2008, c.42, s.1.

Source: Open US Law by Vaquill AI (CC BY 4.0)URL: https://www.njleg.state.nj.us/legislative-activity/statutesFetched: 10/17/2026