LEOSA discussions underway
with N.J. law enforcement
union officials
During the past several NJSPBA Local 600 meetings, after pension status
and PFRS Board of Trustee election update reports were provided to the mem-
bership, the next priority for retirees was the Law Enforcement Officers Safety
Act (LEOSA) and how New Jersey is not conforming to H.R. 218.
Many retired law enforcement professionals in the state have expressed
concerns about LEOSA and how they are put under tighter restrictions than
other law enforcement retirees from other states who travel throughout New
TOD COLETTA Jersey.
President Tom Lombardi instructed Delegate James Toma and me to inves-
ALTERNATE tigate the concerns of the membership and formulate a remedy in a draft pa-
STATE
per in preparation for future meetings. We all are in agreement in our findings
DELEGATE that there are conflicts with New Jersey conforming to LEOSA.
While NJSPBA Local 600 officials were working on the LEOSA conflict, other
N.J. police union officials — including the NJ State Troopers NCO Association and FOP —
collaborated with law enforcement professionals and the attorney general’s office to provide
input.
A poorly written piece of legislation
NJSPBA President Pat Colligan, Executive Vice President Marc Kovar and Director of Gov-
ernment Affairs Rob Nixon have spearheaded and orchestrated meetings with the aforemen-
tioned law enforcement officials, including PBA Local 600 officials, to roundtable the con-
cerns about LEOSA. Over the past several months, and after speaking with legal scholars, the
State PBA has also been documenting these concerns and discovered that H.R. 218 is a poorly
written piece of legislation that leaves a lot of ambiguity, with different interpretations and a
lack of clear and precise language.
While we make no promises, I want all PBA Local 600 members to know that we have heard
your concerns, and State PBA President Colligan and PBA Local 600 President Lombardi have
been in the process of formulating a plan to address those concerns for several months.
Both NJSPBA active and retired members are very fortunate to have Rob Nixon as our point
man to remedy these concerns. Rob
is a proven professional on legislative
affairs, with a vast, impressive wealth
of knowledge on gun laws, who will
be representing the State PBA over
the next few weeks in bringing law
enforcement’s LEOSA concerns to
legislators.
Open dialogue with legislators
I ask that members please remain
patient. This is a slow, arduous pro-
cess, as several N.J. gun law statutes
in 2C:39 must be reviewed, and the
parties involved agree that open di-
alogue with legislators is the best
route to successfully remedy our
LEOSA concerns.
If you have questions, email your
delegates for clarification and, again,
please refrain from making negative,
unproductive posts on Facebook
Thank you, St. James Parish
and other social media sites. NJSPBA
Retired Members Local 600 Executive Vice Pres-
Local 600 will be updating the mem-
ident Nate Horowitz, left, and Vice President Lou
bership by keeping them informed
Tuccillo make a donation to St. James Parish ad-
about the process in future periodi-
ministrator Camilla Lauricella to express thanks
cals, at meetings and on the NJSPBA
for the Woodbridge parish allowing the Local to
Local 600 website, under the LEOSA
use its facility for its monthly meetings.
secure sign-in page.
20
NEW JERSEY COPS
■ JANUARY 2019