A Year After Caseworker Stabbing, Leah's Law Moves Forward

The fight to better protect New Jersey Department of Children and Families workers took a great leap forward on Monday when a state legislature committee unanimously approved "Leah's Law," a bill that would require police officers to be stationed inside state child welfare offices.

The legislation is named after CWA Local 1038 member and caseworker Leah Coleman, who was stabbed more than 20 times by a deranged client a year ago. Bravely recounting the attack on her life for the Assembly Human Services Committee, she said, "We are not trained to stop a mentally ill person from killing someone."

Leah Coleman, right, testifying this year in support of the bill, was joined by Human Services Police Officer John Fano and CWA's New Jersey State Director Hetty Rosenstein.

The attack came just a few days after the Christie administration removed police officers from child welfare offices to save money. Without security or metal detectors, the client was able to walk into the building with a knife.

Leah's Law would require more police officers to be assigned to Human Services and stationed at offices. Police would accompany workers on potentially dangerous home visits and also panic buttons would be installed in meeting rooms.

Leah's Law now heads to a Senate committee.

CWA's New Jersey State Director Hetty Rosenstein believes the bill will pass by Jan. 11, the end of the lame duck session, and garner the same bipartisan support demonstrated by the Assembly committee.

"These are some of the most dangerous jobs in the state," she said. "Right now, our members are out in the field and at worksites on their own. This bill will get them some protection, so they can concentrate on protecting children and families, instead of themselves."