Prosecutor Tells Wildwood Police Chief to Ignore Mayor

WILDWOOD — Two representatives from the county Prosecutor’s Office were assigned to oversee this city’s police department to ensure that Mayor Gary DeMarzo doesn’t involve himself in its day-to-day operations.
“In light of some of your recent actions and conduct which has negatively affected law enforcement and operations of the police department, I have decided to temporarily assign Lt. Kenneth Super and Detective Mark Weeks of the Cape May County Prosecutor’s Office to be monitors for your department,” Prosecutor Robert Taylor wrote in a letter to DeMarzo. “The day-to-day operations and control of the department shall remain with Chief Steven Long and the regular chain of command.”
Long filed a lawsuit against DeMarzo for usurping his powers as defined in the police chiefs’ Bill of Rights.
DeMarzo has said that he did not break any laws regarding his actions with the police department, noting that he has been very careful to consult with legal representatives over the actions he has taken.
Taylor told the Herald he thought DeMarzo was “acting out of control interfering with law enforcement.”
On Nov. 1, DeMarzo, who serves as the city’s director of public safety, wrote a letter to Long regarding the conduct of his officers at city meetings.
“The conduct and lack of respect by the members of Police Department during the last Board of Commissioner Meeting (Oct. 27) was utterly appalling,” DeMarzo wrote. “Between the laughing, giggling and constant disruption by the officers, it became very difficult, if not impossible, to conduct the business of this City.”
In his letter, DeMarzo explained that he held the chief and his department “to the highest standard when it comes to public interaction.” DeMarzo said he was putting the chief and his officers “on notice that the rules that govern their employment will be strictly enforced…There will be zero tolerance for even the slightest infraction.”
Until a few months ago, DeMarzo was a Wildwood policeman on an unpaid leave of absence from the department while he served in his elected office. He was forced to choose between the two positions by an appeals court that cited an inherent conflict of interests.
“This is why the Appellate Division did what they did, because of the conflict,” Taylor told the Herald. “Unfortunately, the conflict is still there. He has to realize he’s not a police officer any more.”
DeMarzo told the Herald that he thought the letter was “nothing more than grandstanding and posturing” by the Prosecutor.
He said the city is currently in litigation “regarding this very matter.”
“My desire is to stabilize the police department in Wildwood,” Taylor said, regarding the letter.
In the letter, Taylor directed DeMarzo to communicate with the police chief through his representatives.
“Since you previously tried to order Chief Long to disobey my directive to him, I am advising and directing in advance the Chief and all officers of the Wildwood Police Department that they can ignore any attempt by you to direct operations in the department,” Taylor’s letter stated.