County Jail’s Warden Supports Nolan for Sheriff

To the Editor: 
I have been the Warden at the Cape May County Correctional Center for the past eight and a half years and I have over 35 years’ experience in law enforcement in Cape May County, including 25 years in the Lower Township Police Department. Upon reading the letter to the editor from David Robinson, I immediately felt compelled to respond.
I promptly reviewed the voluminous files that Robinson had submitted to then-Warden Richard Harron. The files consisted of 143 pages documenting his complaints of constant “bullying” in the jail. 
These complaints were never addressed by Harron during his tumultuous tenure as the warden. Robinson spoke about many issues in his letter to the editor, but he failed to address his own amnesia. Thankfully, the type of behavior revealed by Robinson on numerous occasions was abruptly halted when Gary Schaffer became sheriff.
When I was a young police officer in the late 1970s, officers constantly complained that law enforcement was never recognized as a profession. The litmus test for professionalism is the ability to police yourselves (doctors, lawyers, etc.). Fortunately, (for law enforcement and the public) the Office of the Attorney General began issuing comprehensive guidelines for law enforcement addressing many topics, including but not limited to Internal Affairs, Domestic Violence, Use of Force, Vehicular Pursuit and Random Drug Testing.  
Robinson states “officers should run the jail.” A jail is administered and managed by competent superior officers according to the Attorney General Guidelines, statutes governing county correctional facilities, Rules and Regulations and Standard Operating Procedures. That is the definition of professionalism.
The minimum qualification to test for the position of corrections officer is a high school diploma. There are no additional educational requirements to participate in promotional examinations. As we speak, a corrections officer’s top pay is $89,000 and a sergeant’s salary is $96,000 (not including holiday and operational overtime).  Cape May County has a seasonal-based economy and has no major industry and no major corporations. Many have said that “being a corrections officer is the best-kept secret in Cape May County.”  I ask you, is Robinson serious?
Officers tend to forget that when they are hired they raise their right hand and take an oath of office. Sorry, at that moment the rules change forever. Yes, law enforcement officers have vast authority, but with that comes intense accountability and responsibility. The public is very demanding of their law enforcement officers. The public is correct in their demands. Robinson objects to “investigations,” “video and audio recordings” and “departmental regulations.” No one said being a professional was easy.
Sheriff Gary Schaffer has mandated during his remarkable tenure integrity, professionalism, honesty and transparency.  He made it crystal clear early on that he was giving 110 percent and expected the same of all of his employees. Yes, he was and is serious. To continue this impressive paradigm, a member of Schaffer’s management team should continue his exemplary program.  Nolan must be the next sheriff in Cape May County.