002 Committee

The NJDOC 002 Committee was established to implement the recommendations of a department-wide study of custody staffing requirements, performed in partnership with the National Institute of Corrections (NIC).  The NIC staffing study established the department’s custody staffing requirements by institution, rank and shift.  Implementation of study recommendations enabled coverage of required custody posts on a regular salary basis instead of overtime, resulting in an overtime reduction of 980,000 hours.

The 002 Committee closely monitors overtime expenditures to identify factors causing overtime and develop corrective action plans to meet budgetary objectives.  Procedures have been instituted to provide increased accountability for overtime usage and ensure better utilization of available custody staff resources. The committee monitors custody staffing levels, post assignments, and leave usage to minimize the need for overtime.   Custody schedules are reviewed to ensure that the appropriate number of staff is assigned to each shift, and that regular days off are appropriately balanced.

The committee is also responsible for oversight of the department’s overall staffing resources. Department staffing levels and organizational patterns are continually reviewed to identify inefficiencies, potential cost savings and opportunities to maximize the impact of available funding.

The committee meets on a regular basis with representatives from human resources, overtime reporting/position control, custody, community programs, administration and top-level management.  The aim is to streamline the decision making process and focus on what can be controlled. Committee recommendations are based on the NJDOC mission and the Commissioner’s priorities.

Special Operations Group

The Special Operations Group provides NJDOC facilities with the tactical and technical support that is required during a crisis situation. The unit is a liaison with the State of New Jersey’s Office of Emergency Management, and also maintains mutual aid agreements with local, state and federal law enforcements agencies. 

Special Operations areas of responsibility include the Urban Area Secure Initiative, Office of Emergency Management, Continuation of Operations & Continuation of Government and Homeland Security, Domestic Preparedness.

The Special Operations Group is comprised of several entities.

• Special Operations Response Team (SORT) – The 10-person team consists of a variety of skills, including EMT’s, Breachers, Marksman, Chemical Agents, Defensive Tactics, Repelling, Security Threat Group Identification (STG), Mobile Field Force and tactical operators.
• Canine Unit – Units are deployed throughout the state on a daily basis.  The Canine Unit, consisting of 9 handlers and more than a dozen canines, can perform a variety of tasks, from narcotic searches of people and property, to the tracking of criminals, as well as missing persons. Other functions include explosive device detection, evidence recovery, criminal apprehension and passive & aggressive scent detection.  The unit also provides demonstrations to schools and civic organizations.
• Correctional Emergency Response Team (CERT) – The team consists of 225 institutional based members from the Northern, Central & Southern regions of New Jersey.  The primary duties are large scale disturbance control, tactical search operations, large scale support of the New Jersey State Police and Office of Emergency Management and support functions of SORT.
• Departmental Firearms Unit – The unit consists of 2 certified armorers and a supervisor. Their duties include overseeing the repair and maintenance of all NJDOC firearms, and providing tactical and technical support to NJDOC regional ranges, academy ranges, as well as all NJDOC facilities throughout the state.
• Critical Incident Negotiation Team (CINT) – The team consists of both custody and civilian NJDOC staff.  These negotiators have been trained and certified by the FBI and have the necessary equipment and experience to carry out negotiations during critical incident situations.
• Ceremonial Unit – The unit coordinates funeral detail representation for custody or civilian staff line of duty deaths and retired custody staff. The Ceremonial Unit also responds to requests for honor guards and pipe bands for outside agencies.
• Enhanced Security Transportation Unit – The unit coordinates high risk transports, including court trips, medical trips, and transfers from county jails. The unit also coordinates transportation with outside agencies.

Office of Training

The Office of Training provides corrections personnel with the skills necessary to successfully complete their tasks and to administer the care, custodial treatment and social reintegration of adult offenders committed to correctional facilities in New Jersey.

In order to qualify for admission into the Correctional Staff Training Academy, applicants must complete a three-phase pre-employment process that includes a background investigation, and physical and psychological examination.

Two state laws help to define the Office of Training’s mission: the Police Training Act, which mandates training for state and county correction officers; and the Gun Control Act, which requires firearms qualification training for all state and county correction officers. Legislation obligates the Police Training Commission to approve the state basic curriculum and county officer recruit training programs, as well as firearms training programs. The Office of Training has codified and standardized the curriculum and expanded the content and duration of the basic training. After completing the required courses, each officer receives a basic training diploma from the NJDOC and receives certification from the Police Training Commission.

The NJDOC training facility was relocated in September 1998 from the New Jersey Training School for Boys in Skillman to the National Guard Training Center in Sea Girt. The programs offered are designed to develop and enhance the skills of employees and to prepare them for future advancement, while presenting a comprehensive, multi-faceted approach to training. To augment the staff, adjunct instructors are utilized from state correctional facilities as well as various law enforcement agencies.

The Office of Training is organized into the following units: 

• The Correctional Staff Training Academy conducts basic training for state correction officers with instructors who are certified by the Police Training Commission. Training classes include arrest, search and seizure, use of force, criminal law, first aid/CPR, weaponry, physical conditioning, security concepts, human relations and professional development. The Standards Unit within the Office of Training develops and implements guidelines, curriculum and standards of operation for both basic training and the In-Service Training Program. This unit also is responsible for overseeing methods of instruction and other instructor courses by the Office of Training.
• The In-Service Training Unit is responsible for overseeing the in-service training programs for all departmental personnel. The training is conducted at various sites throughout the state. The In-service Training Unit conducts executive, management development, supervisory, non-uniformed, volunteer and contracted provider training as well as training in a variety of other disciplines. The unit also is responsible for conducting all federal- and state-mandated training. In-service training programs are updated and revised annually to keep pace with the ever-evolving profession of corrections and the goals of the NJDOC.
• The Custody Recruitment Unit (CRU) is responsible for the recruitment and hiring process of future correction officers. CRU staff members visit schools and job fairs throughout the state to promote career opportunities within the NJDOC.

College credits, accepted by and transferable to many two- and four-year colleges and universities, are available for the majority of the Office of Training’s course offerings.

Inmate Labor Program

The Community Labor Assistance Program is responsible for providing inmate labor support to municipalities, governmental agencies and community based non-profit organizations. Both state and municipal government agencies utilize inmate labor support in an effort to reduce operational costs and save tax dollars.  At present, approximately 85 labor teams provide service, five days a week, to a majority of New Jersey counties in throughout the state.

Inmate labor support is a staple for several state departments, including Transportation (DOT), Human Services (DHS) and Environmental Protection (DEP). Collectively, these three areas alone utilize 40 labor teams on a permanent basis. This resource has proven to be one of the most practical, cost-effective measures toward alleviating spending and operational costs for numerous entities that are affected by the present economic shortage.

The DOT utilizes 24 highway work crews totaling approximately 400 inmates; 18 inmate labor crews, charged with the responsibility of providing landscaping, janitorial work and special projects to many of the state developmental centers, are assigned to the DHS; and through a partnership with the DEP, nine state parks and the DEP Clean Shores Program are supported by inmate labor. In addition, five inmate labor crews support the federal government at Fort Dix and one crew is permanently assigned to the State Police. Other state agencies receiving support from the Community Labor Assistance Program include the Departments of Community Affairs, Military and Veterans Affairs, Agriculture and Treasury.