February 17, 2026, 7:30 AM EST

By Wade T. Paton

Cape May County is moving forward with a major upgrade to its local law enforcement infrastructure. Construction crews are currently building the $21.5 million Cape May County Justice Complex at the Crest Haven government campus in Cape May Court House. The project involves demolishing outdated structures to build a 37,000-square-foot facility and renovating 9,600 square feet of existing space.

County officials broke ground on Oct. 1, 2025. They expect to cut the ribbon by the summer of 2027. Local leaders have emphasized that the government is covering the entire $21.5 million price tag without taking on any new public debt.

Upgrading Local Law Enforcement The new complex aims to modernize daily operations by bringing key public safety services together.

It will serve as the permanent headquarters for the Cape May County Prosecutor's Office. Plans for this department feature a new toxicology and forensics lab, secure evidence storage, interview rooms and a sallyport for secure prisoner transfers.

The site will also house the county's Public Safety Academy. The facility features new barracks designed to hold up to 108 cadets. It includes dedicated training rooms, an employee gym and locker rooms. A separate 6,000-square-foot vehicle storage building and a facilities warehouse will support the larger campus.

Current Construction Timeline Contractors have kept a tight schedule since the fall. Workers cleared the 110 Justice Way site late last year and poured the concrete footings over the winter.

The main concrete slab-on-grade was finished over two days on Jan. 22 and Jan. 23. Through the first half of February crews focused on building the load-bearing block walls and concrete stair towers.

Structural steel framing is the next phase. Once the steel skeleton is complete the roof will be installed so interior work can begin.

Contractor History and Legal Scrutiny The county awarded the general contract to Ernest Bock & Sons Inc. The Philadelphia-based firm is familiar with South Jersey public works. They previously built the $40 million Atlantic County criminal courthouse in Mays Landing and the Flyers practice facility in Voorhees.

Despite a long portfolio the contractor has faced government scrutiny. In 2016 the firm agreed to pay $450,000 to settle a civil lawsuit with the United States Department of Justice. Federal prosecutors accused the company of violating Disadvantaged Business Enterprise regulations on two SEPTA construction projects by using a minority-owned business as a front. More recently a joint venture involving the firm had a public bid rejected by Pennsauken Township in 2023 for failing to properly register under the Public Works Contractor Registration Act.

Prosecutor's Office Lawsuit The agency slated to occupy the new high-tech headquarters has also dealt with serious internal allegations.

In 2022 a federal discrimination lawsuit was filed against the Cape May County Prosecutor's Office. Lakeisha Davis, the only Black female detective in the office, and her colleague Kathryn Gannon alleged a deeply entrenched race- and sex-based hostile work environment. The civil rights complaint outlined claims of denied promotions, discriminatory assignments and the use of racist and sexist slurs by supervisors.

These legal records run parallel to the physical construction of the facility. The county continues to push toward its 2027 completion date while navigating the ongoing complexities of public spending and agency oversight.