I believe COs can in NJ. There's a few on the forum so I'm sure they'll chime in on this.

 

CO's can and do carry. Easy for them to get CCW permits as well.

CO's can and do carry. Easy for them to get CCW permits as well.

They can carry, but I was talking about off duty. when you said "easy to get CCW permits", does that mean they still have to go through the application process or is it automatic like regular LEOs?

They can carry, but I was talking about off duty. when you said "easy to get CCW permits", does that mean they still have to go through the application process or is it automatic like regular LEOs?

 

Two of my friends are retired CO's. Both can carry. No entirely sure of their permit application process.

C/Os can carry 24/7, no other permit required!

 

 

CO's can and do carry. Easy for them to get CCW permits as well.

 

They can carry, but I was talking about off duty. when you said "easy to get CCW permits", does that mean they still have to go through the application process or is it automatic like regular LEOs?

 

 

Two of my friends are retired CO's. Both can carry. No entirely sure of their permit application process.

C/Os can carry 24/7, no other permit required!

 

I think I can straighten this out now. Active COs carry off duty with statutory authority and out of state under LEOSA. Retired COs can get a Retired Police Officer permit from NJ and carry out of state under LEOSA. AFAIK active LEOs will not be issued a carry permit by the state. That would create a conflict with their official authority. Retired LEOs get a RPO permit based on their former employment. These are issued by NJSP. There is no requirement to show need and no police chief or judge involved in the process. Retired LEOs can carry out of state under LEOSA.

Edited June 27, 201214 yr by GRIZ

Thanks!

now the next question...are correction officers the same as "prison guards"? I have heard about checking in weapons at the end of duty and stuff, similar to the local pd special officers (level II I think), who I believe cannot carry when off duty? I know...we're drifting a little off topic.

That would depend on the state. There are NJ COs on this forum that speak of their off duty carry so its not them. NY COs can carry off duty so its not them either. I knew a guy in PA who was a CO in a state facility and he wasn't allowed to carry off duty and needed to get a carry permit to do so. That was over 10 years ago and I'm not sure now what the situation is there.

 

Don't get wrapped up in a title aas I'm sure there is somewhere a "prison guard" can carry all the time. AFAIK there is no one in NJ with the title of "prison guard". People may refer to them as that but that's not their title. LEOs get carry authority from statute and agency policy.

Correction Officers sometimes refered incorrectly as "Prison Guards" can carry off-duty as they are qualified LEO's by the Police Training Commission. There is no CCW or Carry Permit. You qualify annualy or semi-annually as dictated by dept. regulations. Parole officers (State) are also LEO and same rules apply. Probation officers are not LEO and do not carry on or off duty.

That would depend on the state. There are NJ COs on this forum that speak of their off duty carry so its not them. NY COs can carry off duty so its not them either. I knew a guy in PA who was a CO in a state facility and he wasn't allowed to carry off duty and needed to get a carry permit to do so. That was over 10 years ago and I'm not sure now what the situation is there.

 

Don't get wrapped up in a title aas I'm sure there is somewhere a "prison guard" can carry all the time. AFAIK there is no one in NJ with the title of "prison guard". People may refer to them as that but that's not their title. LEOs get carry authority from statute and agency policy.

 

Glad you added that..there are a couple of counties where the Co's cant carry off-duty because of their Dept Policy..only SRT members can carry.

 

 

Glad you added that..there are a couple of counties where the Co's cant carry off-duty because of their Dept Policy..only SRT members can carry.

 

A lot of people think its so easy, become a LEO and you can carry all the time.

 

I started as a LEO in the 70s. Then you carried all the time. Enforcement of this varied to both extremes from agency to agency, department to department. I know of one guy who didn't have his off duty with him in a Quik Chek in his town that was being robbed by one guy with a knife and he got a 5 day unpaid vacation. The holdup man came nowhere near hurting anyone. He pulled his knife, the clerk emptied the cash drawer into a bag, and the guy left. Nobody got hurt but the cop. The clerk actually knew who the holdup was and he got picked up within a hour the money still in the bag.

 

When LEOSA was passed it opened another can of worms. People who the state said could carry all the time found they weren't covered until LEOSA. LEOs that were not allowed to carry off duty (including a lot of Feds) found they could carry under LEOSA.

Keep in mind that although LEOSA may cover them they could still be fired by their agency if they did carry.

A lot of people think its so easy, become a LEO and you can carry all the time.

 

I started as a LEO in the 70s. Then you carried all the time. Enforcement of this varied to both extremes from agency to agency, department to department. I know of one guy who didn't have his off duty with him in a Quik Chek in his town that was being robbed by one guy with a knife and he got a 5 day unpaid vacation. The holdup man came nowhere near hurting anyone. He pulled his knife, the clerk emptied the cash drawer into a bag, and the guy left. Nobody got hurt but the cop. The clerk actually knew who the holdup was and he got picked up within a hour the money still in the bag.

 

When LEOSA was passed it opened another can of worms. People who the state said could carry all the time found they weren't covered until LEOSA. LEOs that were not allowed to carry off duty (including a lot of Feds) found they could carry under LEOSA.

Keep in mind that although LEOSA may cover them they could still be fired by their agency if they did carry.

 

then you have NJ, where in order to carry Legally once I retire, Living here, I have to get an NJ Retired Officers Carry permit, even though I could move 50 miles west to Pa, and be completely covered under LEOSA

I don't know if this is deffinate but I was told state prison guards can but my buddy who works at the county juvi can't because it's a diff union. I'll ask again and get a better answer

I'm a Lieutenant with the New Jersey Department of Corrections where I've been employed since 1992. State Corrections Officers are sworn Peace Officers, with full police powers and have been so since the 1960s. We don't enforce the motor vehicle code, Title 39 (thankfully), but otherwise have the same powers of detention(including motor vehicle stops) and arrest as any other sworn Law Enforcement Officer. As any other LEO, we are authorized to carry on and off duty, and do so as LEOs under statutory authority, not CCWs.

 

Our sworn staff work the full spectrum from institutional to special response, and everything in between. Our K9 Officers are routinely farmed out to many municipalities around the state when they either lack the resource, their K9 is unavailable or additional resources are needed. Our dogs are talented and capable of covering all facets, from patrol to tracking, to drug, bomb and even cellular telephone detection. Our Special Response Team, known as Special Operations Group(SOG), of which I'm a former Team Leader, works in concert with many state and municipal Law Enforcement Agencies, particularly in the ever popular large scale sweeps on criminal organizations. Our Special Investigations Division routinely works with outside agencies as well, and has provided departmental representation to the Joint Terrorism Task Force for several years. Non traditional Organized Crime, and Security Threat Groups, AKA Gang Intelligence is a department strong point, where we routinely share information and provide expertise for federal, state and municipal agencies.

 

The term Prison Guard, is a generally condescending and derogatory term used most often in the media. Within the Corrections community, the term Guard is sometimes used as a term of endearment to recognize someone with experience and talent. It carries a different connotation when used outside the community.

 

 

then you have NJ, where in order to carry Legally once I retire, Living here, I have to get an NJ Retired Officers Carry permit, even though I could move 50 miles west to Pa, and be completely covered under LEOSA

 

I am in that boat now. I read the NJ AGs opinion letter on that and find it interesting. The AG recognizes LEOSA for out of state active and retired LEOs but says if you are a NJ resident you have to get a RPO permit. Federal law covers everyone but a NJ resident retired LEO? I am not a legal scholar but how in the hell does the NJ AG get off saying Federal law does not apply if you are a NJ resident? I know some retired guys living in NJ that qualify carry their retired ID and qual record which covers them under LEOSA. I would really like to see NJ prosecute a NJ resident retired LEO who fulfills the requirements of LEOSA but doesn't get a NJ RPO permit. I will admit I spend the $50 and do the quals as it seems like a cheap way of avoiding issues.

I will admit I spend the $50 and do the quals as it seems like a cheap way of avoiding issues.

 

It's also great to have your qualifications on record where someone can verify them with a phone call or a message thru NCIC. The only other thing I'd like to see on the card is a statement that the bearer has met the qualification requirements of the AG for active officers. After all, the 3/09 modification to the law specifically cites LEOSA in the eligibility section.

 

FWIW, I make a credit card sized copy of my latest quaification form to carry with my RPO and retired ID.

 

AFA "see no evil" Harvey's memo comment on retirees in NJ, I don't think that has ever been tested and probably won't be.

I carry under HR218 and S1132. Nuf said. NJ

I am in that boat now. I read the NJ AGs opinion letter on that and find it interesting. The AG recognizes LEOSA for out of state active and retired LEOs but says if you are a NJ resident you have to get a RPO permit. Federal law covers everyone but a NJ resident retired LEO? I am not a legal scholar but how in the hell does the NJ AG get off saying Federal law does not apply if you are a NJ resident? I know some retired guys living in NJ that qualify carry their retired ID and qual record which covers them under LEOSA. I would really like to see NJ prosecute a NJ resident retired LEO who fulfills the requirements of LEOSA but doesn't get a NJ RPO permit. I will admit I spend the $50 and do the quals as it seems like a cheap way of avoiding issues.

 

Yeah, about that..Pass.. I'll pony up my $50.00 Now Question for you and paul, on the back do you have to list EVERY handgun you onw or just the ones you expect to carry???? if it's every hadngun My Application is gonna be more than 2 pages

 

 

Yeah, about that..Pass.. I'll pony up my $50.00. Now Question for you and paul, on the back do you have to list EVERY handgun you onw or just the ones you expect to carry???? if it's every hadngun My Application is gonna be more than 2 pages

 

Like I said the $50 is worth avoiding problems.

 

I haven't seen the application form in some time. Last time I did there was a block for your agency to list the handguns your agency knows you own. The only ones listed were the two personally owned handguns I was carrying at work when I retired.

 

The qualification form has space for three guns to be listed. AFAIK it doesn't make a difference which ones you actually carry. Of course its a good idea to qual with what you'll carry. LEOSA says you can carry any gun of the "same type of action" you qual with. Doesn't specify what they consider "type of action". For CYA purposes I qual with a DA revolver, a 1911, and a Glock. The 1911 to cover SA auto and the Glock DA. While the Glock is really a striker fired it and AFAIK every other striker fired semi auto is classed as a DA by ATF. That's because when they started importing the Glock there was nothing else that covered it on the import point scheme ATF uses. It may be overkill to qual with two semi autos but that's what I do. When I qual guys, say with a Glock, I caution them that they can't carry a revolver under LEOSA unless they qualify with one.

There's a space on the back of the form for IIRC 5...i just laughed at it.