Cape May County has launched a task force initiative to enhance highway safety and reduce traffic fatalities. The initiative’s name, SHIELD Task Force, stands for Safety on Highways through Intensive Enforcement & Law Enforcement Deployment.

Because of seasonal tourism, Cape May County faces safety challenges due to increased traffic and heavily traveled highways. The task force will address this by increasing enforcement and focusing on educating residents and visitors about the dangers of speeding, impaired driving, distracted driving, and aggressive driving. Additional messaging such as “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” and “Click It or Ticket” will be posted as part of the public awareness campaign.

The task force will identify high-risk locations through crash analytics and traffic trends. There will be targeted operations in these areas, including saturation patrols, speed enforcement, and DUI checkpoints.

On July 6, a 4-hour enforcement detail was deployed along the North Wildwood Boulevard and Wildwood Boulevard corridors, which are locations that have been identified as high risk. Twelve officers from multiple municipal police departments conducted 93 motor vehicle stops. From these stops, officers issued 48 motor vehicle summonses, 25 moving violations, and 23 non-moving violations. In addition, one individual was arrested for driving while under the influence.

This is a countywide partnership involving all Cape May County police departments, the Cape May County Sheriff’s Office, the New Jersey State Police, the New Jersey Division of Highway Traffic Safety, and the Cape May County Prosecutor’s Office. While the task force is currently funded through partnerships, it seeks additional state and federal funding to ensure long-term operation.

For more information, contact the Cape May County Prosecutor’s Office.

Photo caption: Cape May County Prosecutor’s Office members at the annual Public Safety Recruitment event with students from Middle Township Middle School and Middle Township High School.