Biography

Director Gary Schaffer has served the Cape May County public safety community for over 35 years. During this time, he has been either directly or indirectly responsibile for training and educating the vast majority of all the law enforcement officers in Cape May County. He has an unprecedented working relationship with the Cape May County Chiefs of Police.

Gary served Ocean City Police Department for over 25 and a half years, retiring at the rank of Detective Lieutenant. He commanded the Detective Bureau, Juvenile Bureau, SWAT Team, was lead internal affairs investigator, supervised the Department of Mercantile and Licensing, and was the police department’s Public Information Officer. He has been a police instructor since 1978.

Gary has his AS Degree in Law Enforcement from Atlantic Community College, BS Degree in Criminal Justice from Stockton State College, and 15 additional credits in criminal justice from the University of Virginia. He graduated the New Jersey Chiefs of Police West Point Command and Leadership Program and the FBI National Academy 192nd session. Gary was past President of Ocean City Policeman’s Benevolent Association Local #61 for over 5 years and one of only five gold life members of that organization. He was a charter member of the Cape Atlantic Policeman’s Benevolent Association.

Gary was appointed Director of the Cape May County Public Safety Training Center in 1998, responsible for organizing and supervising both basic and advanced police, fire, EMS, and 9-1-1 Dispatch training. Director Schaffer is a New Jersey Police Training Commission instructor and firearms range master. He is a member of the New Jersey Police Training Commission’s Firearms Advisory Committee and a member of the Standards Committee. Director Schaffer is in his 5th term as President of the New Jersey Police Academy Director’s Association.

Gary was named Ocean City Police Officer of the Year in 1979, and again in 1997. He is the only officer to receive this award twice. He received the 2001 American Criminal Justice Gene Carte’ Memorial Award for outstanding life time contributions to the field of criminal justice, from the American Criminal Justice Association. Gary is also a member of the Board of Directors at Shore Memorial Hospital.

Gary is involved in community and church programs. He has served on parish council, and is both a lector and Eucharistic minister at St. Augustine church in Ocean City. Gary has also coached youth soccer.

Gary resides in Upper Township with his wife, Debbie. They have five children, two of whom are police officers. He also has one grandchild.

Paid for by
The Schaffer Family