Cape May, W. Cape May, Point Renew Police Agreements

CAPE MAY — Cape May, Cape May Point and West Cape May agreed to renew interlocal agreements for police services for seven years.
Meetings between Cape May Mayor Edward J. Mahaney Jr., Cape May City Manager Bruce MacLeod, Cape May Point Mayor Carl Schupp, Cape May Point Borough Administrator Connie Mahon, West Cape May Mayor Pamela Kaithern and West Cape May Borough Clerk Elaine Wallace began in August to negotiate the agreements, according to a press release from Cape May.
The agreements begin Jan. 1, 2009 and run through Dec. 31, 2015. The financial terms add 3 percent annually to the service fee, which builds upon the last year of the present agreement.
In the first year of the agreements, the annual service fee will be $231,890 for Cape May Point and $383, 723 for West Cape May. Payment of the service fee is due quarterly.
In recognition of Cape May police using a portion of West Cape May Borough Hall as a police substation, Cape May will pay a lease fee to West Cape May. The lease amount for 2009 is $31,362, which will increase by 3 percent annually through the term of the agreements.
The original interlocal agreements were negotiated and adopted in late 2001, providing a seven-year term starting Jan. 1 2002 and ending Dec. 31, 2008.
Before the commencement of the first police service interlocal agreement, West Cape May provided police services to Cape May Point.
The three-municipality agreement called for Cape May to cover the two neighboring municipalities and to hire five additional police officers. In addition, Cape May added another police vehicle to its fleet.
The Cape May Police Department is led by Chief Diane Sorantino, Capt. Robert Sheehan and Lt. Chuck Lear. There are five sergeants, 14 patrolmen, one permanent Class II special officer, four dispatchers, two administrative staff and approximately 10 to 15 summer officers.
Two years ago, the police department was accepted into the New Jersey Law Enforcement Association Accreditation Program after an extensive review and evaluation.