N.J. Admin. Code § 6A:16-6.3

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 24, December 18, 2024

Section 6A:16-6.3 - Reporting students or staff members to law enforcement authorities

(a) Subject to N.J.A.C. 6A:16-6.5, any staff member who, in the course of his or her employment, has reason to believe that a student or staff member has unlawfully possessed or in any way been involved in the distribution of a controlled dangerous substance, including anabolic steroids, or drug paraphernalia shall report the matter as soon as possible to the principal or, in the absence of the principal, to the staff member responsible at the time of the alleged violation.

1. Either the principal or the responsible staff member shall notify the chief school administrator, who in turn shall notify as soon as possible the appropriate county prosecutor or other law enforcement official designated by the county prosecutor to receive such information.

2. The chief school administrator or designee shall provide to the county prosecutor or designee all known information concerning the matter, including the identity of the student or staff member involved.

3. The chief school administrator or designee, however, shall not disclose the identity of a student or staff member who has voluntarily sought and participated in an appropriate treatment or counseling program for an alcohol or other drug abuse problem, provided the student or staff member is not reasonably believed to be involved or implicated in drug-distribution activities.

i. For the purpose of this section, an admission by a student or staff member in response to questioning initiated by the principal or teaching staff member, or following the discovery by the principal or teaching staff member of a controlled dangerous substance, including anabolic steroids, or drug paraphernalia, shall not constitute a voluntary, self-initiated request for counseling and treatment.

4. The chief school administrator or designee may disclose to law enforcement authorities the identity of a student suspected to be under the influence of alcohol and/or controlled dangerous substances, pursuant to N.J.A.C. 6A:16-4.3(a), or a student suspected to have used or who may be using anabolic steroids, pursuant to N.J.A.C. 6A:16-4.3(b), and who is referred for a medical examination, pursuant to N.J.A.C. 6A:16-4.3(a) or (b), as appropriate, for the purposes of providing appropriate health care for the student and for determining whether the student is under the influence of alcohol or other drugs or has been using anabolic steroids, provided the student is not reasonably believed to be in possession of a controlled dangerous substance or drug paraphernalia, or to be involved or implicated in drug distribution activities.

5. Law enforcement authorities shall not be notified of the findings if a student's alcohol or other drug test, pursuant to N.J.A.C. 6A:16-4.3(a)3 i and (b)3i, and (a)4 above, was obtained as a result of the district board of education's voluntary random drug testing policy, pursuant to N.J.S.A. 18A:40A-22 et seq. and N.J.A.C. 6A:16-4.4.

(b) Whenever a school employee develops reason to believe a firearm, as defined in N.J.S.A. 2C:39-1(f) and 18 U.S.C. § 921, or other deadly weapon, whether enumerated in N.J.S.A. 2C:39-1(r), except a firearm as defined by N.J.S.A. 2C:39-1(f) and 18 U.S.C. § 921, has unlawfully been brought onto school grounds or a student or other person is in unlawful possession of a firearm or other deadly weapon on or off school grounds, or a student or other person has committed an offense with or while in possession of a firearm on or off school grounds or during school operating hours, the matter shall be reported as soon as possible to the principal, or in the absence of the principal, to the staff member responsible at the time of the alleged violation.

1. Either the principal or the responsible staff member shall notify the chief school administrator, who in turn shall notify as soon as possible the county prosecutor or other law enforcement official designated by the county prosecutor to receive such information.

(c) The designated school official, as defined in (b)1 above, shall immediately notify the designated law enforcement official whenever a school employee in the course of his or her employment develops reason to believe a student has threatened, is planning or otherwise intends to cause death, serious bodily injury, or significant bodily injury to another person under circumstances in which a reasonable person would believe the student genuinely intends at some time in the future to commit the violent act or carry out the threat.

(d) The designated school official, as defined in (b)1 above, shall immediately notify the designated law enforcement official whenever a school employee in the course of his or her employment develops reason to believe a crime involving sexual penetration or criminal sexual conduct has been committed on school grounds, or by or against a student during school operating hours or during school-related functions or activities.

(e) School employees shall immediately notify the principal and chief school administrator when in the course of their employment they develop reason to believe a bias-related act has been committed or is about to be committed on school grounds, or has been or is about to be committed by a student on or off school grounds, and whether such offense was or is to be committed during operating school hours, or a student enrolled in the school has been or is about to become the victim of a bias-related act on or off school grounds, or during operating school hours.

1. The designated school official, as defined in (b)1 above, shall promptly notify the local police department and the bias investigation officer for the county prosecutor's office in the instances described in (e) above.

2. The designated school official, as defined in (b)1 above, shall immediately notify the local police department and the bias investigation officer for the county prosecutor's office where there is reason to believe a bias-related act that involves an act of violence has been or is about to be physically committed against a student, or there is otherwise reason to believe a life has been or will be threatened.

(f) All incidents shall be reported under this section utilizing the Electronic Violence and Vandalism Reporting System, pursuant to N.J.A.C. 6A:16-5.3(e)1, where appropriate.

N.J. Admin. Code § 6A:16-6.3

Amended by R.2005 d.297, effective 9/6/2005.
See: 37 N.J.R. 1570(a), 37 N.J.R. 3295(b).
Rewrote (a), (b), (d), (e); added (f).
Amended by R.2006 d.366, effective 10/16/2006.
See: 38 N.J.R. 2294(a), 38 N.J.R. 4411(c).
In (a)3, substituted "an alcohol or other drug" for "a substance"; in (a)4, substituted "pursuant to N.J.A.C. 6A:16-4.3(a), or a student suspected to have used or who may be using" for "including" and inserted "pursuant to N.J.A.C. 6A:16-4.3(b)," and "as appropriate,"; and in (c), deleted the commas following "planning" and "serious bodily injury".
Amended by R.2014 d.047, effective 3/17/2014.
See: 45 N.J.R. 987(a), 46 N.J.R. 505(a).
Rewrote the section.