Body Worn Cameras & Taser Video Systems 

SOP 219 - The Cape May County Sheriff's Office Uniformed Officers utilize body worn cameras in both Law Enforcement and Correctional Divisions. Officers can be seen with the cameras anywhere in public, in the Superior Court House and in the Correctional Center. Officers use the body cameras to document evidence and witness/suspect statements, warrant services and to aid in the investigation of citizen complaints or anytime there is the potential for law enforcement action. The cameras have become a useful tool to help strengthen public trust.

Early Warning System

SOP 127 - The purpose of this policy is to establish an Early Warning System (EWS) designed to detect patterns and trends in police conduct before that conduct escalates and to provide a method of early intervention to correct the inappropriate conduct and this policy will comply with the New Jersey Attorney General’s Law Enforcement Directive No. 2018-3 which is applicable to all law enforcement agencies in New Jersey.

Internal Affairs

SOP 206 - The purpose of this policy is to provide a formal procedure for the processing of complaints that originate from the public or are generated by the supervisors, officers, or other personnel within the agency regarding officer misconduct. This procedure will ensure fairness and due process protection to citizens and officers alike and assure that complaints of officer misconduct are properly addressed. The Cape May County Sheriff’s Office is committed to providing law enforcement services that are fair, effective, and impartially applied. Officers are held to the highest standards of official conduct and are expected to respect the rights of citizens. Officer’s adherence to these standards motivated by a moral and professional obligation to perform their job to the best of their ability is the ultimate objective of this agency. The internal affairs process shall also be used to identify and correct unclear or inappropriate agency procedures. In addition, it will highlight organizational conditions that may contribute to any misconduct such as poor recruitment and selection procedures or inadequate training and supervising officers. 

Substance Abuse

SOP 216 - The purpose of this policy is to affirm that the Cape May County Sheriff’s Office is committed to providing a safe work environment and to fostering the well-being of its employees. This commitment is jeopardized when any Cape May County Sheriff’s Office employee illegally uses drugs or alcohol on the job or comes to work under the influence of drugs or alcohol or is unfit for duty because of abuse of alcohol or drugs.

Attorney General Directive 22-06 - Transparency in Internal Affairs Investigations

AG22-06 - This Directive now establishes that certain categories of discipline will always require disclosure, and describes what specific internal affairs materials law enforcement agencies must always disclose. As to which categories will always require disclosure, there are certain sustained offenses for which the need for accountability and deterrence necessitates disclosure regardless of the seniority of the officer or their record of misconduct. These categories—assessed based on Rivera, the Attorney General’s internal affairs reporting portal, and prior Attorney General Directives relating to Brady and Giglio obligations—include, but are not limited to, instances of differential treatment and excessive force. These disclosures expand upon Directive 2020-5’s focus on the length of discipline imposed, as experience has shown that metric does not always capture serious misconduct. As to what materials must always be disclosed, this Directive draws a line between materials relating to an investigation’s findings on the one hand, and the wealth of investigative notes that detail (among other things) conversations with witnesses and victims on the other. This Directive mandates the disclosure of the former—to provide the public with information about allegations, findings, and discipline, without delaying disclosure based on a lengthy and costly redaction process.