Sheriff, Freeholders Introduce Mounted Park Patrol

SWAINTON – Freeholder Director Daniel Beyel and Cape May County Sheriff Gary Schaffer held a press conference Tuesday, Aug. 25 to introduce the new Mounted Unit Patrol at Cape May County Park Central.
Chief Warrant Officer Joseph Beisel, a retired Ocean City Police captain is working part time, assigned to supplement Sheriffs Officers and County personnel at the park. He is not receiving any county benefits, according to Schaffer.
“This increased visibility acts as a natural deterrent to the criminal element,” said Schaffer. He noted that the horse and ride is able to cover wooded terrain quickly, and the officer can see six times farther than one on the ground.
“The mounted unit is just a natural fit into the County Park and Zoo,” he added.
Beisel has worked with horses for 15 years. The retired captain was operations commander of Ocean City Police Department. He supervised the Detective Division and was Officer in Charge of Internal Affairs. He was a SWAT team member and is a New Jersey Police Training Commission Firearms instructor as well as a certified range master.
He holds a bachelors degree in criminal justice, and is a graduate of the FBI National Academy.
“I am getting a quality individual with a vast amount of experience,” said Schaffer. “That will not only assist me with the Mounted Unit but also with internal affairs and other investigations as needed.
“By eliminating security positions through attrition and adding this one permanent part-time employee that is armed and has law enforcment authority , I am reducing costs while achieving better law enforcement coverage at the park and zoo,” said Schaffer.
He said the unit receives formal training at no expense to the taxpayers, and its use will expand outisde the county park and zoo to commuity special events, concerts at the park, sporting events, parades, police agency requests National Night out and crowd control after bar closings for larger events, such as the Irish Festival and other large gatherings.