Cape May Approves $8M Police Headquarters Project

Cape May Approves $8M Police Headquarters Project

After years of discussion, land negotiations and public debate, Cape May officials have approved construction of a new $8 million police headquarters, a project that city leaders say will modernize law enforcement facilities without raising local taxes.

The City Council voted unanimously on Tuesday to authorize the long-awaited project, which has been the subject of planning and community scrutiny for more than a decade.

The new building will replace the current police station, which officials have long described as outdated and inadequate for the department’s needs.

A Strategic Location

The new headquarters will be built beside Cape May Elementary School and a public park, a location selected to improve access across the island.

Officials said the placement was designed with emergency response times in mind, ensuring that officers can move quickly between neighborhoods and major routes.

Mayor Zack Mullock called the approval “a long time coming,” noting that the location ties public safety closely to community institutions. “This will finally give our officers the modern, safe, and efficient facility they deserve,” he said in a statement.

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Land Preservation Tied to the Deal

The project also required a land exchange that, while initially contentious, ultimately expanded Cape May’s preserved green space.

To make room for the new station, the city traded a small parcel of Lafayette Street Park for a larger natural area adjoining the Sewell Tract, an environmentally sensitive site already under protection.

The deal adds to the more than 100 acres of land now permanently preserved, a point city leaders emphasized as evidence that the project balances development with conservation. “Forever preserving environmentally sensitive land was a priority from the beginning,” Mr. Mullock said.

The mayor singled out Chief Dekon Fashaw Sr. and his command staff for guiding the project forward. The chief, who has led the department since 2021, has been among those pressing for facilities that reflect the department’s responsibilities in a town that swells with summer visitors each year.

City officials also credited a Police Station Task Force, made up of residents who volunteered their time to help evaluate needs and proposals.

Their participation, officials said, gave the project a stronger foundation of public trust.

In a city where property taxes have not risen in more than six years, the financing of the police headquarters was central to public debate.

Officials confirmed that the $8 million project will proceed without raising taxes, a decision likely to be welcomed by both year-round residents and seasonal homeowners.

“This is a major investment in public safety and in the community,” Mr. Mullock said. “But it is being done responsibly, without putting added pressure on taxpayers.”

With approval secured, the city will move forward. What do you think of the design?