WILDWOOD — An entity known as Cape May County Working Group passed a resolution in April that underscores the concept that “mutual aid” between agencies, is for emergencies only, not a method municipalities can make “drastic layoffs” then expect neighboring communities to rally to their need.
The group consists of about a dozen Cape May County chiefs of police, County Prosecutor’s personnel, emergency managers, firefighters and public safety officials who meet monthly to discuss homeland security issues in the county. It also works to manage planning, exercises and distribution of Homeland Security funding for county projects.
The resolution was adopted at the group’s April meeting. At that time, under chairmanship of Robert Matteucci, North Wildwood police chief, a discussion took place “about the ramifications of drastic police and fire layoffs scheduled to take place in the City of Wildwood would have on public safety and mutual aid in general,” ac-cording to the document.
A unanimous vote was taken, and the group supports the following:
• In the interest of general public safety each municipality has a fundamental obligation in providing basic police, fire and EMS services.
• Mutual aid has been developed for emergency assistance only and not to provide assistance to supplement a police, fire or EMS department decimated by drastic layoffs for routine calls for service.
• Municipalities that have drastic layoffs only jeopardize the safety of the remaining understaffed police, fire and EMS officers.
“Therefore, the Cape May County Working Group urges all municipalities that have economic issues to consider the ramifications of decisions to cut personnel to the point where the public’s safety in general is a at risk and that there will most likely not be emergency responders from neighboring communities coming to answer the call for assistance.”
Wildwood Police Chief Steven Long told the Herald layoffs of police and firefighters are scheduled to take place June 1.
He said other towns are not going to police Wildwood because of layoffs in the city.
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