Scheffler seeking Democratic nomination for Atlantic County sheriff

NORTHFIELD ? Eric Scheffler of Northfield has announced his candidacy for Atlantic County sheriff. He will be seeking the Democratic nomination for the position at the 42nd annual Atlantic County Democratic ConventionSunday, March 19 at the Golden Nugget.

Scheffler is a retired lieutenant with the Atlantic City Police Department. According to a press release announcing his candidacy, he has taught in police academies across the state and continues to train law enforcement on various aspects of policing, including community relations, defensive tactics and conflict resolution.

Scheffler works as a paraprofessional at Mainland Regional High School and is a founding member of the Mainland Regional One Life Committee, a volunteer organization that is tackling heroin and opioid addiction issues in the schools.

"My passion is improving the quality of life for law enforcement officers and the citizens of Atlantic County," Scheffler said in the release. "This goal can be accomplished through more education and training, both of which are needed in the Sheriff's Department and Atlantic County's law enforcement agencies."

Scheffler said that if elected, he would work to make the community safer and to improve relations between law enforcement and the community at large, working alongside other members of law enforcement to address violent drug offenders and pursue programs such as the Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion, or LEAD, which connects nonviolent drug offenders with community-based services to end drug addiction and reduce recidivism rates.

"By diverting nonviolent offenders to services like LEAD, we can increase public safety and reduce the criminal behavior of people who participate in the program," said Scheffler. "Through initiatives like this, we can make our streets safe and protect law enforcement officers who risk their lives every day."

Scheffler's career also includes working with at-risk youth and intellectually and developmentally disabled students in a structured work-based program at Mainland. He said he created an option-based protocol empowering teachers and students to make decisions in the event of an active shooter or violent intruder. In June Scheffler will complete a Rutgers University program in intellectually and developmentally disabled education.

Raised in Margate, Scheffler is an Atlantic City High School and Stockton University and graduate. He and his wife, Maria, and their children live in Northfield.