PROSECUTOR WANTS MORE STAFF; CITES CRIME RATE

CAPE MAY COURT HOUSE - Cape May County Prosecutor Robert Taylor has asked
the county Freeholders for more staff to deal with an increase in crime and
drug distribution, Taylor said Wednesday.

Taylor said the crime rate rose 9 percent in the county last year, and his
office needs more investigators for its narcotics task force to catch
mid-to upper-level drug dealers.

Taylor, who did not disclose the number of staff he is seeking, said he
wanted to give the county Board of Chosen Freeholders notice before he
proposes a budget in November that will be higher than the current $2.9
million.

The Prosecutor's Office has 19 investigators.

Last year, Taylor asked for five more investigators and two more assistant
prosecutors for 2005. Only one assistant prosecutor was approved at the
time, he said.

In July, the freeholders approved adding three new investigators for the
Prosecutor's Office and three more officers for the county Sheriff's
Department, said county Administrator Stephen O'Connor.

The county did not budget for those positions, but funded them through
vacancies in other county departments, O'Connor said.

According to the state Uniform Crime Report released in July, aggravated
assault in Cape May County increased 8 percent in 2004. Authorities also
arrested 193 alleged drug offenders, an increase of 59 percent.

Taylor also said the Prosecutor's Office needs more help with counter
terrorism to follow up tips and leads and for a current state-initiated
program to develop and maintain security plans and training for schools.

O'Connor said the county is considering the request.

"We just told them we would look at future budgets to see what kind of
personnel we could provide without causing too much economic strain on the
budget," he said.