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S 1233

Establishes "Cop 2 Cop Sustainability Fund" to support "Law Enforcement Officer Crisis Intervention Services" Cop 2 Cop telephone hotline program; appropriates $500,000.

2026-2027 Regular Session Introduced by Tony Bucco and 5 co-sponsors

establishes a dedicated Cop 2 Cop Sustainability Fund with a $500,000 annual General Fund appropriation to support the 24-hour crisis intervention hotline and peer support for offi

Referred to Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee
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Bill Summary · S 1233

Bill Summary: S 1233 (New Jersey, 222nd Session)

Title

Establishes the “Cop 2 Cop Sustainability Fund” to support “Law Enforcement Officer Crisis Intervention Services” Cop 2 Cop telephone hotline program; appropriates $500,000.

Purpose and Intent

  • Create a dedicated, non-lapsing fund named the Cop 2 Cop Sustainability Fund in the Department of the Treasury.
  • Provide a stable, ongoing source of funding for the 24-hour Cop 2 Cop Law Enforcement Officer Crisis Intervention Services telephone hotline, expanding access to peer support and counseling for law enforcement personnel and their families.
  • Supplement the existing funding for the Cop 2 Cop hotline by directing General Fund appropriations and by channeling eligible revenues into the new fund.

Key Provisions and Changes

Section 115 (as amended)

  • Reiterates the Department of Human Services’ responsibility to maintain a 24-hour toll-free information hotline for Law Enforcement Officer Crisis Intervention Services.
  • Hotline purpose:
    • Receive and respond to calls from officers (or sheriff’s officers) experiencing personal or job-related mental health stress, trauma, depression, anxiety, or related conditions.
    • Identify officers who should be referred for debriefing and counseling; referrals may include peer counseling, diffusing, debriefing, group therapy, and individual therapy as part of the Blue Heart Law Enforcement Assistance Program (developed by Rutgers’ University Behavioral Health Care Unit).
  • Hotline operator qualifications:
    • Operators should be trained by DHS and preferably be professionals familiar with post-trauma disorders or trained in counseling related to marriage/family, substance use, personal stress management, and other related mental health areas.
  • Confidentiality and data tracking:
    • The commissioner must ensure confidentiality of caller names, information discussed, and referrals, to encourage use of the service.
    • Potential rules may allow tracking of officers displaying severe emotional or psychological disorders that could harm the officer or others, and the creation of a confidential registry of wounded officers.
  • Funding mechanism:
    • Creation of the Cop 2 Cop Sustainability Fund in the Treasury as a dedicated, non-lapsing fund.
    • Beginning in FY 2025, annual General Fund appropriations of $500,000 to support the Cop 2 Cop hotline program.
    • The fund would also receive revenues from:
    • The Law Enforcement Officer Crisis Intervention Services program under R.S.39:5-41(d),
    • Interest and income earned on moneys in the fund,
    • Other appropriations or funds available for the program.

New Section (Section 2)

  • Specific appropriation of $500,000 from the General Fund to support the Cop 2 Cop telephone hotline program.

Effective Date

  • The act takes effect immediately upon enactment.

Who is Affected

  • Primary: Law enforcement officers and sheriff’s officers in New Jersey, and their families who may access the Cop 2 Cop hotline for crisis intervention services.
  • Institutions:
    • Department of Human Services (hotline operations and training)
    • Rutgers University Behavioral Health Care Unit (Blue Heart program integration)
    • New Jersey Treasury (Cop 2 Cop Sustainability Fund administration)
  • Funding recipients: The Cop 2 Cop hotline program, currently operating under Rutgers and funded by existing body armor replacement funds, would receive additional General Fund support.

Procedural and Timeline Aspects

  • Funding begins in State fiscal year 2025 (annual $500,000 appropriation to the Cop 2 Cop Sustainability Fund).
  • Revenues for the fund include existing related sources and any eligible interest or new appropriations.
  • The act is effective immediately upon enactment, though the explicit annual appropriation starts in FY 2025.
  • Current status (as of reported action): Introduced in the Senate, referred to Law and Public Safety, progressed to Senate Committee on 2026-01-13, reported from Senate Committee on 2026-02-19 and referred to Senate Budget and Appropriations.

Notable Details

  • The program is described as a 24-hour confidential peer support hotline.
  • The Blue Heart program components may include peer counseling and various forms of therapy coordinated through Rutgers’ unit.
  • Emphasis on confidentiality to encourage use, with potential limited tracking or confidential registry provisions for safety purposes.
  • The bill explicitly acknowledges that Cop 2 Cop hotline currently receives up to $400,000 annually from Body Armor Replacement Funds and would add $500,000 in new General Fund support.

Bottom Line

S 1233 would institutionalize a dedicated funding stream to sustain and potentially expand the law enforcement crisis intervention hotline (Cop 2 Cop) and related peer support services, aiming to improve mental health support for officers and their families while preserving confidentiality and structured referral pathways.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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