Retired Law Enforcement Officer Program (RPO)

NJSP Firearms Investigation Unit

Retired Police Officer - RPO
P.O. Box 7068
West Trenton, New Jersey 08628-0068
609-882-2000 Extension 2290 (Phone)
609-406-9826 Fax

Nothing in subsection b. of N.J.S. 2C:39 5 shall be construed to prevent a law enforcement officer who retired in good standing, including a retirement because of a disability pursuant to section 6 of P.L. 1944, c.255 (C.43:16A 6), section 7 of P.L. 1944, c.255 (C.43:16A 7), section 1 of P.L. 1989, c.103(C.43:16A 6.1) or any substantially similar statute governing the disability retirement of federal law enforcement officers, provided the officer was a regularly employed, full time law enforcement officer for an aggregate of four or more years prior to his disability retirement and further provided that the disability which constituted the basis for the officer’s retirement did not involve a certification that the officer was mentally incapacitated for the performance of his usual law enforcement duties and any other available duty in the department which his employer was willing to assign to him or does not subject that retired officer to any of the disabilities set forth in subsection c. of N.J.S. 2C:58 3 which would disqualify the retired officer from possessing or carrying a firearm, who semi annually qualifies in the use of the handgun he is permitted to carry in accordance with the requirements and procedures established by the Attorney General pursuant to subsection j. of this section and pays the actual costs associated with those semi annual qualifications, who is 75 years of age or younger, and who was regularly employed as a full time member of the State Police; a full time member of an interstate police force; a full time member of a county or municipal police department in this State; a full time member of a State law enforcement agency; a full time sheriff, undersheriff or sheriff’s officer of a county of this State; a full time State or county corrections officer; a full time county park police officer; a full time county prosecutor’s detective or investigator; a full time federal law enforcement officer; or is a qualified retired law enforcement officer, as used in the federal "Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act of 2004," Pub .L. 108 277, domiciled in this State from carrying a handgun in the same manner as law enforcement officers exempted under paragraph (7) of subsection a. of this section under the conditions provided herein:

1. The retired law enforcement officer shall make application in writing to the Superintendent of State Police for approval to carry a handgun for one year. An application for annual renewal shall be submitted in the same manner.
2. Upon receipt of the written application of the retired law enforcement officer, the superintendent shall request a verification of services from the chief law enforcement officer of the organization in which the retired officer was last regularly employed as a full time law enforcement officer prior to retiring. The verification of service shall include:
   1. The name and address of the retired officer;
   2. The date that the retired officer was hired and the date that the officer retired;
   3. A list of all handguns known to be registered to that officer;
   4. A statement that, to the reasonable knowledge of the chief law enforcement officer, the retired officer is not subject to any of the restrictions set forth in subsection c. of N.J.S. 2C:58 3; and
   5. A statement that the officer retired in good standing.
3. If the superintendent approves a retired officer’s application or re application to carry a handgun pursuant to the provisions of this subsection, the superintendent shall notify in writing the chief law enforcement officer of the municipality wherein that retired officer resides. In the event the retired officer resides in a municipality which has no chief law enforcement officer or law enforcement agency, the superintendent shall maintain a record of the approval.
4. The superintendent shall issue to an approved retired officer an identification card permitting the retired officer to carry a handgun pursuant to this subsection. This identification card shall be valid for one year from the date of issuance and shall be valid throughout the state. The identification card shall not be transferable to any other person. The identification card shall be carried at all times on the person of the retired officer while the retired officer is carrying a handgun. The retired officer shall produce the identification card for review on the demand of any law enforcement officer or authority.
5. Any person aggrieved by the denial of the superintendent of approval for a permit to carry a handgun pursuant to this subsection may request a hearing in the Superior Court of New Jersey in the county in which he resides by filing a written request for such a hearing within 30 days of the denial. Copies of the request shall be served upon the superintendent and the county prosecutor. The hearing shall be held within 30 days of the filing of the request, and no formal pleading or filing fee shall be required. Appeals from the determination of such a hearing shall be in accordance with law and the rules governing the courts of this State.
6. A judge of the Superior Court may revoke a retired officer’s privilege to carry a handgun pursuant to this subsection for good cause shown on the application of any interested person. A person who becomes subject to any of the disabilities set forth in subsection c. of N.J.S. 2C:58 3 shall surrender, as prescribed by the superintendent, his identification card issued under paragraph (4) of this subsection to the chief law enforcement officer of the municipality wherein he resides or the superintendent, and shall be permanently disqualified to carry a handgun under this subsection.
7. The superintendent may charge a reasonable application fee to retired officers to offset any costs associated with administering the application process set forth in this subsection.

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