South Jersey towns with lowest police pay now in turmoil

In the state of New Jersey, the average Police Officer Salary is $99,066. Police salaries range from $26,383 to $129,422 annually in The Garden State.

The wide range of Police Officer compensation has been a point of contention for years in New Jersey. Some municipalities have refused to give their Police officers pay raises or better compensation packages, forcing those officers to decide whether to leave for a better financial situation.

The latest Police Department's dilemma involves two South Jersey municipalities that appear to be uninterested in paying the men and women who serve their community an average salary that is competitive with neighboring communities.

Two New Jersey Communities' Public Safety in Jeopardy

On the list of lowest paying average salaries for Police Officers in South Jersey you will find two municipalities that have ongoing disputes with their communities and public safety officers.

Police Union Representative Anthony Tirelli has accused the Borough of Stone Harbor of not giving their Public Safety Officers " competitive compensation" as the main reason why Police Officers are leaving the community.

The Stone Harbor Police Department had four officers leave in recent months. The Police Department has been working without a labor contract for 18 months, and people have accused the South Jersey borough of being unwilling to spend the money to maintain a modern Public Safety.

This is the same municipality that mismanaged the transition to Virtual Parking Meters and saw a 101% increase in parking tickets issued in 2023.

Approximately seven miles south of South Harbor is where you will find another complicated situation with a Police Department. In West Wildwood, the residents are fighting to restore their Police Department that has been mismanaged and underfunded.

There is currently an agreement in place for the North Wildwood Police Department to respond to emergency and public safety calls for the West Wildwood municipality.

Residents have gone to West Wildwood City Council meetings demanding answers about the future of their police department.

The West Wildwood PD has faced staff shortages for several years after a series of lawsuits along with accusations of using the Police Department in political feuds. Most recently, Cape May County Prosecutor Jeff Sutherland assigned Detective Mark Weeks to oversee the West Wildwood Department.

Stone Harbor and West Wildwood Police Officers are among the lowest Average Salaries in South Jersey:

1. Margate City: $98,798
2. Ocean City: $98,407
3. Sea Isle City: $93,317
4. Longport: $89,464
5. Hamilton Township: $89,263
6. Wildwood City: $88,255
7. Brigantine: $87,388
8. Cape May: $87,073
9. Egg Harbor Township: $87,007
10. Atlantic City: $86,251
11. Middle Township: $84,212
12. Galloway Township: $83,470
13. North Wildwood: $83,230
14. Linwood: $82,701
15. Absecon: $82,464
16. Pleasantville: $82,318
17. Hammonton: $81,668
18. Somers Point: $78,547
19. Northfield: $77,712
20. Lower Township: $76,301
21. Mullica Township: $74,569
22. Stone Harbor: $69,953
23. Wildwood Crest: $69,173
24. Avalon: $68,691
25. Egg Harbor City: $67,133
26. West Wildwood: $59,333

*Buena Vista Township, Corbin City, Dennis Township, Estell Manor, Port Republic, Upper Township, Weymouth Township, and Woodbine are serviced by the New Jersey State Police for emergency and Public Safety calls.

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