17. a. (1) The Police Training Commission in the Department of Law and Public Safety shall adopt a training course regarding law enforcement interactions with persons under the lawful age to purchase alcoholic beverages or cannabis items based upon the legalization of a personal use cannabis marketplace pursuant to the “New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory, Enforcement Assistance, and Marketplace Modernization Act,” P.L.2021, c.16 (C. 24:6I-31 et al.), the decriminalization of marijuana and hashish pursuant to P.L.2021, c.16 (C. 24:6I-31), and the enforcement of violations of applicable statutes associated with the underage possession or consumption of alcoholic beverages, marijuana, hashish, or cannabis items pursuant to those enactments and the companion enactment, P.L.2021, c.25 (C. 2C:30-6.1 et al.), and which includes the recognition of and methods to address and avoid racial disparities and implicit bias, and means for interacting with vulnerable juvenile populations. The training course shall be administered by the employing agency as part of the in-service training provided to each local police officer in each law enforcement unit operating in this State.

(2) Prior to being appointed to permanent status as a local police officer in a law enforcement unit, an individual shall be required to complete the training course adopted under paragraph (1) of this subsection. Every local police officer appointed prior to the effective date of this section shall, within 18 months of that effective date, satisfactorily complete a training course on law enforcement interactions as described in paragraph (1) of this subsection.

(3) The Police Training Commission shall adopt rules and regulations, pursuant to the “Administrative Procedure Act,” P.L.1968, c.410 (C. 52:14B-1 et seq.), to effectuate the purposes of this subsection.

b. Within 45 days of the effective date of P.L.2021, c.25 (C. 2C:30-6.1 et al.), the Attorney General shall prepare a notice explaining the provisions of the enactments set forth in paragraph (1) of subsection a. of this section pertaining to persons under the lawful age to purchase alcoholic beverages or cannabis items and the violations of applicable statutes associated with the underage possession or consumption of alcoholic beverages, marijuana, hashish, or cannabis items, and transmit the notice to the chief or director of every municipal police department, every municipal prosecutor, every county prosecutor, and the Superintendent of the New Jersey State Police. The notice shall be disseminated to every law enforcement officer and shall be re-enforced at roll calls and academy service training and continuing education programs so as to ensure that all officers and prosecutors are educated of their responsibilities under the relevant enactments.

L.2021, c.25, s.17.