TRENTON, N.J. — Gov. Phil Murphy on Wednesday signed Executive Order No. 404, recodifying the New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness and clarifying its authority nearly two decades after the office was created.
The order updates and streamlines the structure of the office, known as OHSP, which was established in 2006. State officials said the move is intended to strengthen coordination across New Jersey’s security and emergency response agencies and ensure the office’s legal framework reflects its current day-to-day operations.
“Today’s Executive Order helps to bolster our Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness, ensuring the Office is equipped with the information and tools needed to continue protecting our nine-and-a-half million residents from a wide range of potential threats,” Murphy said. “The Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness, the New Jersey State Police, and the Office of Emergency Management are each critical to keeping New Jersey safe, and today marks an important step in preventing and mitigating future threats. By clearly outlining the division of responsibilities relating to threat response, we are guaranteeing swift and effective cross-agency collaboration when we need it most.”
OHSP Director Laurie Doran said the order reflects the continued evolution of homeland security challenges and the state’s approach to addressing them.
“Governor Murphy’s action reinforces the evolution of homeland security in New Jersey,” Doran said. “This modernization ensures our ability to confront a broader spectrum of threats, from foreign intelligence operations to technological and biological risks, with the same vigilance, leadership, and coordination that have long defined OHSP. By formalizing our counterintelligence role and strengthening our partnerships across government, we are enhancing our state’s readiness to identify, deter, and disrupt those who seek to harm New Jersey’s people, institutions, or infrastructure. Our mission remains clear: to protect this state, its residents, and its democratic foundations with foresight, integrity, and unity of purpose.”
Under the order, OHSP is formally designated as the state’s lead agency for counterterrorism, counterintelligence, cybersecurity, and related preparedness work. The office will continue to gather and share intelligence, oversee statewide training for government employees and private partners, and coordinate with law enforcement and emergency management agencies.
The directive also updates OHSP’s emergency management functions to reflect the division of responsibilities between OHSP, the New Jersey State Police, and the Office of Emergency Management.
The OHSP director serves in the governor’s Cabinet as Homeland Security and Preparedness Advisor, chairs the Domestic Security Preparedness Task Force, and oversees the allocation of state and federal homeland security funding.
