Notice from the New Jersey Department of Health (NJDOH)

PLEASE BE ADVISED that as of August 1, 2018, NJDOH will no longer have the authority to certify Animal Cruelty Investigators (ACIs) and certified ACIs will no longer be authorized to investigate animal cruelty situations.  In fact, the term “ACI” will no longer exist in this State as of August 1, 2018. 

As of August 1, 2018, animal cruelty investigations will be under the supervision and authority of municipal and county prosecutors.   See Public Law 2017, chapter 331.  With this responsibility, prosecutors are authorized to appoint Municipal or County Humane Law Enforcement Officers to investigate and enforce the animal cruelty provisions of Chapter 22 of Title 4 of the Revised Statutes.  The appointed Municipal Humane Law Enforcement Officers (MHLEOs) and County Humane Law Enforcement Officers (CHLEOs) will have to satisfactorily complete a training course developed by the Police Training Commission (PTC) within one year of appointment to qualify for the position; an individual with ACI training will not automatically qualify for appointment as a MHLEO or CHLEO.

Because certified ACIs have completed an animal cruelty training course and may also have extensive field experience investigating animal cruelty, they may wish to apply to County and Municipal prosecutors to serve as a CHLEO or a MHLEO for the county or municipality.  Although previously certified ACIs may have animal cruelty investigation experience, they will still be required to complete the MHLEO/CHLEO training developed by the PTC if appointed by a county or municipality as a MHLEO or CHLEO.   The PTC will determine in the near future whether ACIs will be required to complete the entire training course or whether certain sections of the training may be waived.  

The NJDOH will inform certified animal control officers of any updated it receives regarding this matter via the NJLINCS communications System, as well as, through the New Jersey Certified Animal Control Officers Association