Cape May County Traffic Crackdown Ends Summer With 332 Stops, 127 Summonses

CAPE MAY COURT HOUSE, N.J. — A summer-long traffic enforcement initiative targeting some of Cape May County's busiest roads ended Friday after five operations that resulted in 332 motor vehicle stops, 127 summonses and eight arrests.

The Cape May County SHIELD Task Force conducted its fifth and final summer enforcement detail Aug. 28, with officers from 10 law enforcement agencies concentrating on Route 147, also known as North Wildwood Boulevard, and Route 47 South between the George Redding Bridge and Route 9.

Officers made 55 motor vehicle stops during the final operation, issued 18 summonses and arrested two people on outstanding warrants, according to Cape May County Prosecutor Jeffrey H. Sutherland.

But the final detail was just one part of a countywide initiative that put officers from multiple departments together on heavily traveled roads throughout July and August.

A review of results released following the five SHIELD operations shows officers conducted a combined 332 traffic stops and issued 127 summonses over the summer.

Eight arrests were also reported during the five operations, including four arrests for driving while intoxicated.

SHIELD — which stands for Safety on Highways through Intensive Enforcement & Law Enforcement Deployment — was established by Sutherland as a countywide response to dangerous driving and serious crashes.

The program uses crash and traffic data to identify roads for increased enforcement, with officers targeting speeding, impaired driving, distracted driving, aggressive driving and other dangerous behavior.

The initiative also gives participating officers authority during sanctioned SHIELD operations to enforce New Jersey motor vehicle laws outside their normal municipal jurisdictions in Cape May County.

The first operation was held July 6 along the North Wildwood Boulevard and Wildwood Boulevard corridors. Twelve officers conducted 93 traffic stops, issued 48 summonses and made one DWI arrest.

A second operation July 23 produced 85 stops, 19 summonses and one arrest for possession of methamphetamine.

The third detail, held Aug. 8, concentrated on sections of Route 47 and Indian Trail Road. Officers made 51 stops, issued 25 summonses and arrested two drivers for DWI.

During the fourth operation Aug. 19, officers from 10 agencies made 48 stops and issued 17 summonses. Two people were arrested, including one on an outstanding traffic warrant and another who authorities said was found in possession of cocaine and an unlawful weapon.

Friday's operation completed the summer enforcement schedule with another 55 stops, 18 summonses and two warrant arrests.

Sutherland credited Lt. Maurice Catarcio, who served as SHIELD Task Force commander, with coordinating the multi-agency operations.

“Lieutenant Catarcio deserves special recognition for the tremendous amount of work that went into planning and coordinating these operations,” Sutherland said.

Sutherland said bringing officers from numerous agencies together required extensive planning and communication.

“The success of SHIELD required extensive planning, communication, coordination, and attention to logistics among numerous law enforcement agencies,” Sutherland said. “Lieutenant Catarcio took on that responsibility and worked diligently to ensure each detail was organized and effectively executed. His dedication was instrumental to the success of this initiative.”

When the initiative launched this summer, officials said the goal went beyond writing tickets.

“SHIELD is not about issuing tickets for the sake of enforcement,” Cape May County Chief of Detectives Dan Holt said following the inaugural operation. “It is about strategically placing officers in areas where traffic crash data indicates the greatest need for intervention.”

The task force's summer operations repeatedly focused on Route 47 and the roadways leading into the Wildwoods, corridors that carry particularly heavy traffic during the Shore's peak tourism season.

Officials have said SHIELD uses crash statistics, traffic enforcement data and seasonal traffic patterns to determine where officers are deployed.

While Aug. 28 marked the final summer SHIELD detail, the initiative itself was established as a broader countywide traffic-safety effort. When the program launched, officials said enforcement and education efforts were expected to continue beyond the summer as part of an ongoing effort to reduce serious and fatal crashes.