The Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office has the highest caseload and clearance rate in the state while its staff is one of the lowest paid, according to numbers put out by the office Tuesday.
The announcement comes after the state Attorney General's Office released its 2024 Staffing Resource Analysis.
The 20-page report is meant to provide the attorney general with information concerning the amount of personnel resources allocated to the prosecutorial function in each county.
It shows the median and mean salaries for attorneys, detectives and support staff among the 21 counties and the state Division of Criminal Justice, along with showing those number for specific job titles, such as assistant prosecutors, chief of detectives, and detective ranks from sergeant to captain.
The Atlantic County office's attorneys rank last in median salary at $82,100 a year compared with an average median of $111,600 average statewide.
Support staff also is the lowest in the state with a median salary of $43,000, nearly $20,000 less than the average median statewide, and less than half of the DCJ's median of $95,000.
That staff includes professionals who are essential to victim services, evidence management and courtroom operations, the Prosecutor's Office explained.
Detectives' salaries rank 13th when looking at the median, but fall even lower at the state when looking at the mean, or average.
The average detective salary statewide is about $125,000, with Atlantic County's average of $11,000, ranking them at 17th in the state.
“I could not be more proud of the men and women of this office," Prosecutor William Reynolds said. "Every day, our prosecutors, detectives and support professionals deliver extraordinary results for the people of Atlantic County, despite being among the lowest compensated offices in the state.
"Their dedication and professionalism have produced historic reductions in violence, traffic fatalities and drug-related deaths," he continued. "They deserve recognition, respect, and investment.”
Meanwhile, Atlantic County receives and clears more criminal cases than any other county in New Jersey, despite having a smaller population and workforce than many jurisdictions.
Atlantic City draws an estimated 28 million visitors per year, further increasing the public safety demands placed on law enforcement.
The county is third as far as detention motions filed, and second in those granted.
The understaffing and underinvestment show in the backlog, according to the Prosecutor's Office:
Backlog pressures can be addressed only with sufficient numbers of well-paid and experienced attorneys handling a reasonable caseload, according to the office.
The office once again pointed to its "historic outcomes" of decreased violent incident and increased clearance rates.
Homicides and Shootings
There has been one non-fatal shooting in 2026, and no homicides.
Fatal Motor Vehicle Crashes
Drug-Related Deaths
Since 2022, Atlantic County has experienced a significant reduction in violent crime, gun violence and overdose deaths.
These results were not achieved through increased funding or expanded staffing, the office notes. Instead, the approach has changed.
The ACPO has embraced technology, intelligence-driven policing and data analysis to identify emerging crime trends and focus resources where they matter most.
"By using modern investigative tools and strategically deploying our limited personnel, we have been able to operate more efficiently and effectively than ever before," the office writes.
They also have stressed a commitment to partnership.
"Public safety cannot be achieved by one agency alone. The ACPO works hand-in-hand with local police departments throughout Atlantic County, as well as our state and federal partners, sharing intelligence, manpower and resources to address the most pressing threats to our communities."
The philosophy is to "check the ego at the door."
The office also is prioritizing targeted investigations and aggressive prosecutions aimed at the small number of individuals who drive the majority of violent crime.
"By concentrating on the people responsible for the greatest harm, we disrupt cycles of violence,
prevent retaliatory crime and create safer neighborhoods for the residents of Atlantic County."
The office continues “doing more with less," while stressing that long-term underinvestment has impacted recruiting and retention.
Since 2022, more than 100 of 180 employees have been newly hired, with those who leave doing so solely due to salary and affordability issues.
“Our team sees humanity at its worst. They investigate and prosecute sex offenders, child predators, human traffickers, violent offenders, murderers, drug dealers and those who prey upon the vulnerable," Reynolds said. "They carry that emotional burden every day with courage and professionalism. This work is demanding, it is critically important, and it deserves the full support of the county.”
