Permits municipal, county, and regional police and fire forces to establish five-year residency requirement for police officers and firefighters; allows exceptions to requirement under certain circumstances.

This bill permits New Jersey municipalities, counties, and regional police and fire departments to require new officers and firefighters to live within the community they serve for five years after hire. It allows local governments to adopt ordinances with this rule (pending approval by the Commissioner of Community Affairs), giving applicants six months after starting work to move in. Exceptions include threats or violence targeting officers/families, and municipalities must include incentives like residency as a tie-breaker in promotions or offer tuition reimbursement (20% of county college costs) after the five-year period. The bill does not mandate this requirement but provides a framework for communities to implement it.