CREST HAVEN – Cape May County Sheriff Gary Schaffer will not seek reelection but will remain in the county’s top elected law enforcement post until his term ends Dec. 31, 2017. First elected in 2008, he won reelection in 2011 and 2014.
The 65-year-old Ocean City resident made the announcement to departmental officers in a letter and made a copy available to the Herald.
By making his intention known at this time, Republicans who would seek the party’s consideration to run have ample time to submit letters of intent to Republican Chairman Marcus Karavan. Such letters must be submitted by Feb. 15. Republican committee members meet and vote in March at a convention to select a candidate. That person would run in the June primary against any other party contenders, and the victor would seek election in the November general election.
Schaffer is entering his ninth year as sheriff, one of three Constitutional Officers in the county. It will also be his 45th year in law enforcement, 19 of those years with the county.
“I will be turning 66 years old in a few months after my term expires and with some health issues on my plate, I have decided to spend more time with my growing family and four grandchildren now, devoting my time and energy to the people I love,” he wrote.
Undersheriff Robert Nolan has Schaffer’s support, should he decide to seek the party nod to run. Schaffer cited Nolan’s work history as a corrections officer, sheriff’s officer as sergeant, lieutenant, and captain.
“He is uniquely qualified to be sheriff,” said Schaffer. Nolan is also a former Lower Township Council member.
“I hope to see the programs we made continue in the future. I will be personally endorsing Undersheriff Robert Nolan to be the next Cape May County Sheriff,” Schaffer wrote.
Schaffer served in the Ocean City Police Department for over 25 years, retiring with the rank of Detective Lieutenant. He went on to become Director of the County Public Safety Training Center for 10 years.
He is a member of the N.J. Police Training Commission Firearms Advisory Committee, a commissioner for the N.J. Police Training Commission where he serves as chair of the Legislative and Appeals Committee. He served five terms as president of the New Jersey Police Academy Directors’ Association.
Schaffer reflected on the accomplishments made during his tenure:
- Having the Sheriff’s Department gain accreditation.
- Building a Public Safety Training Academy with a Police Academy that is the state’s sole municipal residential academy. Cape May County law enforcement agencies pay nothing to train officers while agencies that send trainees pay about $2,600 per person.
- Starting construction of the new correctional center to replace the seriously overcrowded center.
- Making the department one with all electronic records.
- Having been under budget annually, and giving the county about $1.4 million in revenue.
- The animal shelter, which is recognized as a “no kill” shelter with a euthanasia rate of 5 percent (10 percent qualified for the status).
- Erecting a $280,000 spay and neuter clinic at the shelter that was built by donations, thus costing taxpayers nothing.
