TEST PREP
Uncovering hidden residency requirements
for the 2016 LEE
The New Jersey Civil Service Commission (NJCSC)
will announce the 2016 Law Enforcement Examination (LEE) through their website on July 1. The
announcement will establish an online application
process available for those who aspire to become a
municipal law enforcement officer, county law
enforcement officer, sheriff’s officer, county correction
officer or any of five other titled law enforcement positions. The closing date for applications is set as Aug.
DAVID
31. For those who know family and friends who intend
to register for the upcoming LEE exam, there are some
PAPROTA
common yet critical errors in filing the application
that may have long-lasting implications if not handled
properly prior to and after the closing date of the exam announcement.
In New Jersey, nearly all municipalities regulated by the NJCSC have
residency preferences for hiring law enforcement officers. New Jersey
state law, the NJCSC administrative code (rules) and local ordinances
establish residency restrictions that often leave some very deserving and
qualified candidates out of the running for the limited number of municipal law enforcement officer positions available.
The laws and associated rules currently state, “Applicants must meet
the residency requirements of the appointing jurisdiction as of the
closing date for applications (Aug. 31) and may be required to maintain
continuous residency in that jurisdiction up to and including the date of
appointment.” This restriction often catches many prospective
candidates by surprise and effectively leaves them ineligible for a municipal law enforcement officer position.
Based on the rule, the residence listed by the candidate on the application is the jurisdiction in which the candidate is eligible for consideration for appointment as a municipal law enforcement officer. If the
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JUNE 2016
candidate moves to another jurisdiction after the closing date of the LEE
applications, he or she is rendered ineligible for appointment in both
jurisdictions based on the aforementioned rule.
The key consideration with the residency preference laws and rules is
the closing date of the examination. For the 2016 cycle, residency in the
candidate’s jurisdiction of choice must be established by Aug. 31, and that
residency must be listed on the application. The municipal jurisdiction
listed with the NJCSC as of the closing date of the announcement will
determine the candidate’s municipal eligibility until the next LEE testing
cycle, which will not occur for at least two (more likely three) years. This
is one of the many unfortunate errors I have seen law enforcement candidates make when seeking appointment to a NJCSC regulated municipal
police department.
The worst mistake – and a very common one – occurs when a candidate applies for the test, takes the test, receives an exceptional score in the
mail, then, on the advice of a friend in law enforcement, moves into a
municipal jurisdiction that is expected to hire. Those candidates come to
find they have effectively eliminated themselves from consideration in
both the jurisdiction they moved from and the jurisdiction to which
they’ve moved. Residency preferences can be a great advantage or an
unfortunate disqualifier. The key factor is ensuring that proper and steady
residency is established before the Aug. 31 closing date for applications,
and that chosen residency is properly on record with the NJCSC before
the closing date. d
Dr. David A. Paprota is the Chief of Police in Lacey Township, a member of
PBA Local 238 and the Executive Director of Critical Concepts and
Strategies (CCS), an entry-level exam preparation company. Further information can be obtained through his website at www.ccstest.com or by
emailing questions to info@ccstest.com.