Sheriff Tells Reasons To Support Nolan

To the Editor:  
As sheriff of Cape May County, I am compelled to respond to Dave Robinson’s rambling and misleading comments on our county jail.
First, he complains that officers working 12-hour shifts are exhausted. He fails to mention that the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) wanted and negotiated the 12-hour working shifts.
In a 14-day work cycle, the officers work seven days and have seven days off. They receive an average of 18 vacation days per year, 15 sick days per year, and three personal days per year. With a high school degree they earn a maximum salary of $89,000 per year and sergeants earn $96,000 per year.
They have the best health care plan available. I might add that many residents of Cape May County would love to make that type of money and have those benefits.
He is partially right about work assignments and young officers. When I first met with the FOP nine years ago, they gave me a list of 21 issues they had with the jail (when Richard Harron was warden), and I addressed 19 of those issues to their satisfaction. Two were contractual, and I could not remedy. At that time I spoke to them about seniority.
I stated – and still do – with every new employee coming to work for me that seniority gives you the first vacation pick, choice of days off, the newer equipment or a new car.
Work assignments are based on the ability and skill to complete the task. Seniority will be the tie breaker if both employees should have the same ability and skill.
Simply put, it is like having an assembly line, and each part of that assembly line requires a different set of skill levels than closing the box at the end. In this case, the end of the assembly line is quality law enforcement.
I will not have a box closer in the middle of my assembly line simply because “I have been there the longest and I have seniority.” I manage this office based on work ethic, the harder you work, the more you will advance.
If morale is low and I challenge that, it is the officers that have not adapted to this work ethic and are being passed over for assignments by younger officers who have the energy, skill and work harder.
Sick time is almost cut in half from when now-candidate Harron was warden and is an indicator that people want to come to work. I think everyone will agree with me here. Holding someone accountable for making up to $89,000 to $96,000 per year is something I should do as a steward of taxpayer dollars.
Robinson makes a comment regarding leaving the correctional center. Unfortunately, many officers use the correctional center as a stepping stone to what they consider better careers in law enforcement. We have had 17 corrections officers leave us to become sheriff’s and police officers in six different towns in Cape May County. Yes, we have had officers leave that could not commit to being held accountable. One officer stated in sworn testimony that, “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.”
It is these officers that are disgruntled because they do not like to be held accountable for making $89,000-$96,000 per year and want Harron back so they can go back to the good old days.
Robinson complains about cameras in the facility, but they have been there for years. In fact, I also introduced body cameras for our officers years before they became popular to protect our officers from frivolous complaints from inmates.
If investigations reveal officers are breaking the rules or criminal laws, we take immediate, fair and impartial action. I think the citizens who elected me would demand nothing less of me.
The letter writer says Harron “has committed to a disciplinary panel of elders to take the lead.” This is in violation of Attorney General Guidelines for internal affairs, and I submit this to you to ponder: will this be that same elder group of officers that think they should have an assignment just based on seniority and not work ethic? They want to go back to the way it was, as the letter writer said, “bidding for shifts, bidding for assignments, special details and yes, seniority rules.”
When we talk about mismanagement, and I will only get into a few, when Harron was warden his last year, he had an overtime budget of $135,000 but spent $226,000, $91,000 over budget.
The freeholders had to make a transfer to his budget to cover that shortfall. When he was warden, one of his officers was arrested and convicted for having sex with an inmate while working and the county paid out big time.
I submit to you if that happened today you would be demanding that the warden be fired, not asking for your vote for sheriff. Some officers working under his command referred to themselves as the “dog pound” and harassed and abused inmates and fellow officers with almost immunity.
Many of them had a bulldog tattooed showing unity to this group. In fact, this group of officers tried to shake down the housing unit where the inmate who was sexually assaulted was housed to try to find evidence and destroy it.
Sheriff John Callinan started to dismantle the “dog pound,” and I finished the job eliminating them.
For nine straight years, we have been under budget and every year returned large sums back to the county general fund that offsets possible tax increases for the following year while supplying the best public safety service available.
I have been your sheriff for the last nine years and have been in law enforcement for 45 years. Yes, it is time for me to retire. We have made great progress within the agency, and I don’t want to lose what we have accomplished.
The letter writer explained why he is supporting Harron and now I am explaining why I am supporting my Undersheriff Bob Nolan. Nolan has been with the Sheriff’s Department for 33 years, starting as a corrections officer and then, yes he also left and became a sheriff’s officer.
Nolan has been with the Sheriff’s Office for 33 years and has worked every position in the department, starting as a corrections officer, then as sheriff’s officer, worked as a court officer, warrants office, K-9 officer, sergeant, lieutenant, captain, chief and now undersheriff who oversees the Law Enforcement and Civil Divisions of this agency.
He has been an integral part of my management team. He has his bachelor’s degree, is a Certified Public Manager, a graduate of West Point Command and Leadership Program and was deputy mayor of Lower Township.
No one has the education and experience that Nolan has for this demanding job. It is why I say he is uniquely qualified and why I am endorsing Nolan for sheriff, along with Cape May County Policemen Benevolent Association (PBA), Ocean City PBA, Cape Atlantic PBA Conference and the NJ Policemen Benevolent Association.
These facts I present are clear and supported, not like what the letter writer rambled about. As I leave as your sheriff, I urge you to vote for Nolan for I know he will continue what was accomplished for he has been part of the team that achieved these accomplishments. Remember, we want someone with the most experience, most education and most qualified for the demanding job of sheriff.
You do not want to let a box closer get in the middle of that assembly line. I hope you agree. That is why I am endorsing Nolan for sheriff.