West Wildwood police getting help from neighboring New Jersey departments amid staff shortage

CBS News

2 days ago

Multiple South Jersey police departments are providing support services to West Wildwood as the town deals with a staffing shortage among its own force.
Cape May County Prosecutor Jeffrey Sutherland said he asked the Wildwood, North Wildwood and Wildwood Crest departments to "provide necessary manpower and resources" to keep police services in West Wildwood running, and that all agreed to help.
"Their commitment to public service and regional cooperation is a reflection of the strong law enforcement community we have in Cape May County," Sutherland said in a statement.
The temporary measure comes after West Wildwood made significant staffing changes to its police force back in January. Since then, the department became the subject of a review by the New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police.
In a report published earlier this month, the NJSACOP said there is "a complete lack of leadership" in the Borough of West Wildwood Police Department, the force's Internal Affairs is "essentially non-existent," training is lacking among officers and high police officer turnover is contributing to the agency's instability.
The report made several recommendations about how the borough could move forward.
One option would see West Wildwood invest in recruitment and retention to maintain an independent force.
Other options include:
Entering into a shared service agreement where West Wildwood shares a police chief with another municipality
Entering a shared service agreement with another town to supply partial police services at night
Disbanding the West Wildwood Police Department and entering into a contract with another jurisdiction
The NJSACOP said it recommends disbanding the force altogether. "Our review demonstrates that geographically and financially this would be the best option. We also believe it would provide uninterrupted services to the Borough and its residents," the report said. "NJSACOP also believes it will provide a better service due to officer availability and enhanced patrol and investigative resources."
According to the report, the 2020 Census counted approximately 540 residents in West Wildwood, though the population swells to about 5,000 during the summer season. As recently as April 28, 2025, the town's police department had just four full-time officers and one Special Law Enforcement Class II officer on its staff.
In January, the Cape May County Prosecutor's Office assigned Detective Mark Weeks to temporarily oversee the day-to-day operations of the department prior to the departure of Chief Jacquelyn Ferentz.