Herald & Lantern 10 October '84

The Race for Sheriff

Zagone

' F rom Page 1 ) Bieberbach for freeholder) plus popular incumbents, Congressman Bill Hughes and U.S. Sen. Bill Bradley. "When 1 add it all up together,'' Zagone reflected. 'I think I have a pretty good chance "My 'other advantage) is, I think I am more qualified than Plousis is." As a lawyer and former assistant Attorney General ( Pa. ), the Democrat noted, "I'm a lot more familiar with the workings of the courts. And, let's face it. the sheriff's office is an arm of the court " He knows procedures for sheriff sales.

serving process papers and subpoenas, he said, plus administering a jail, its staff and inmates * FOX TURNED OVER operations of the Crest Haven county jail to the freeholders after his primary defeat Plousis wants it back if he wins (see related story). Zagone didn't speculat" on whether the Republican-dominated freeholder board would return it to him if he wins. But. he said, he's better prepared to take over than Plousis Zagone "ran the Parris Island brig" while a Marine Corps officer at the South Carolina base His opponent, he added, has only served as a traffic safety patrolman in Ocean City. Declining to discuss what he would change in the sheriff's department if elected. Zagone added, "I really can't say I'm going to change the whole works " There might be some duplication between court officials and the sheriff's staff, he said, but :*I have to be on the inside to find out ." He also wants to define the lines of authority for the sheriff and Superior Court Assignment Judge, he added. "I think 70 percent of the people are Civil Service." Zagone said of sheriff's depart ment personnel "If they keep their hands out of politics they'll keep on working — that includes the two undersheriffs (Fox's appointees. William H Huhter and Louis * C. Fiocca i "I DON'T CARE IF they're registered

Republicans or registered Democrats." Zagone added, "as long as they do their jobs competently, efficiently and correctly. "I'm going to get into a lot of trouble for this, he predicted, "but I'm going to say it anyway: I've been studying the situation — I don't think we should be electing sheriffs." Although such elections are mandated. Zagone noted that police chiefs aren't elected nor the director of the FBI. He thinks sheriffs should "come up from the ranks." "When I am leaving." said the optimist. "I will make a recommendation at that time for that person in my office to be the next sheriff. And I will ask the Republican and Democratic parties to support him. ' The sheriff's Office should be strictly an enforcement agency for the courts" and "just as non-political." Zagone added "I'm not so naive to think that the judges are non-political — they are. at least in their selection - but, usually after that they stay out of politics." "What possessed you to get into this race9 ' Zagone was asked. "I WAS ASKED" TO replace Wildwood lawman Ralph Sheets as the Democratic candidate, he replied. Then a captain. Sheets pulled out of the race to accept an appointment as police chief when it was too late for the party to list a replacement on the primary ballot. Then sheets endorsed Plousis Zagone collected enough primary write-in votes to run in the general election. What are you doing for campaign money?" he was asked. "Nothing." Zagone replied "I'm depending on the party to support me." He said he told party treasurer Mary Ellen Daino he doesn't "want to get involved" in campaign finances. Party chairman Samuel DeVico said last week that "it's difficult for me to sayhow much money will be spent on Zag one's

election bid. Several fund-raisers hadn't been held by then and other contributions could arrive from state or local party organizations. DeVico explained He estimated Zagone and the two Democratic candidates for freeholders, Bieberbach and Rodney Downs, would share $4,000-$5.000. "That's at very best," the chairman added. Besides Social Security. Zagone collects retirement benefits from Civil Service and the U.S. Marines for a total gross income of $38,000 a year minus about $6,000 in taxes, he reported. He also earns interest

? from one or two certificates of deposit, he 1 said. BOkN AND RAISED in South ; Philadelphia, he was one of four children ; born to the late Joseph and Angeline [ (Patane) Zagone. both Sicilian im- • migrants who met and married in the U.S. During The Depression, he baked bread I and drove his dad s baker,' truck while not ■ attending South Philadelphia High School for Boys which graduated him in 1936. From there. Zagone went on to college and Temple University Law School, completing a year and a half before joining the Marines as a private in World War II. Later commissioned, he fought with the '4th marine division as an ordinance company platoon leader, cited for service on Saipan. and as a tank maintenance platoon leader on Iwo Jima. Discharged as a captain, Zagone returned to Temple for his law degree (1947). He worked his way through as a janitor and an ammunition tester at the Frankford Arsenal. He was admitted to the Pennsylvania bar the following year but called back to military service during the Korean War. He remained on active duty until i960 when he began service as a Pennsylvania assistant attorney general working* for the state's Labor Relations Board. He soon switched to the Social Security Administration. then to the U.S. Army Corps !

of Engineers, working for both as a con 1 tracts attorney. r I He later accepted a position as assistant c counsel for the Frankford Arsenal, a post < he held until it closed in the late '70s. Then, / Zagone retired from it and the Marine Corps Reserve. ( . Eight years ago, he bought a house in S Bayside Village where he and his wife, the o former Frances Marrotta of Philadelphia, moved in 1981. The couple has four ti children: Joseph. 40; John. 38. Frances, a 33. and Mary Ann, 29. ^ r

If they keep their hands out of v polities. ..they'll keep on working..."

When I add it all up together, I think / have a pretty good chance. "

— Plousis

( From Page 1 > his unsuccessful race to unset Congressman Bill Hughes the year before. In reply, Fox slapped the party chairman %*with a libel suit. When the primary' dust cleared. Plousis and his running mates emerged the victors, outspending their rivals 3-1 ($34,607-$l 1.264). Distancing himself from the feud between Fox and Matalucci, Plousis. with an $11,535 share of his slate's funds, blocked Fox from a sixth term through a 7,186-5,492 ballot box victory. Still $5,000 in debt from the primary, Plousis said he doesn't know how much will be spent on his behalf from his slate's funds in the general election. But. "just as I did in the primary." he added. "I'm running on my record." THAT RECORD INCLUDES 10 years on Ocean City's 60-member police force. Starting as a summer officer, he now earns $25,300 as a driving safety officer represented by the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP). He serves as coordinator of the year-old county Task Force for Drugs and Drunk Driving and as a charter member of state and local chapters. Mothers Against Drunk Driving. "I've been in the forefront of addressing almost every major issue that has come

before thef law enforcement community in the last six years," Plousis said. Working with state Sen. James R. Hurley, the patrolman helped draft a law. requiring moped drivers to wear helmets. "I pushed for 21," he added. referring -to the increase in the state drinking age last year from 18-21. He assisted Maryland Congressman Miuiael Barnes in drafting federal legislation for funds to help states combat drunk driving. Last October. Plousis was selected a panelist to the state symposium on drunk driving in Atlantic City. The following month, he was named to give a presentation at the Ninth International Conference on Alcohol. Drugs and Traffic - Safety in San Juan. P.I. Altogether, he estimated, he's spoken to at least 500 groups about alcohol and traffic safety during his career, most of the appearances of his time. HIS EFFORTS HAVE been recognized the FOP. Members awarded him its meritorious service award last year for his crusade against drunk driving. He was also including then in Who's Who in Law Enforcement. Gov. Thomas Kean, the National Safety Bicycle Federation and Boy have applauded Plousis for originating a bicycle safety program If elected sheriff, the first thing he wants do is increase the amounts county jurors are paid to serve, and for mileage. Currently, jurors get $5 a day and two cents a

mile. Plousis supports Hurley's .bill (SB 854 ) which would hike to $15 the daily compensation and to 15 cents the mileage allowance. "I would like to see them even higher." the candidate argued. "I feel that people that are doing their duty should be compensated for their time - Jurors' pay has been one of the biggest complaints he's heard while campaigning, Plousis explained. The other, he said, took the form of a question: "What does the sheriff do?" "I WANT TO MAKE the sheriff's department is more active in the police community of the county, v the candidate responded, "mainly in the area of crime prevention." Between 1978-'B3, Crime Stoppers in Atlantic County solved more than 200» cases and recovered some $700,000 with a conviction rate of 98 percent, the candidate recalled. He proposes to implement a countywide Crime Stopper unit in the Cape. Only Middle Township operates such a program now. He also plans to dispatch a mobile unit to assist municipal police in crime prevention. Even with 60 sworn officers compared to 32 in Wildwood, Ocean City is shorthanded. Plousis maintained, with two lawmen assigned to crime prevention duties. The proposed mobile unit could help ' j

local police by engraving citizens' or businesses' property, particularly costly farm equipment; offer seminars about retail theft ; and visit senior citizen centers to instruct the elderly in self-defense. Plousis observed. UNLIKE HIS OPPONENT, retired lawyer Nick Zagone. Plousis intends to replace appointed sheriff's department officials with his choices. "There's no question that I would want men that I appointed." he added. "Those that are appointed would have to expect to leave with the sheriff (Fox). "Most of them are civil servents," Plousis continued, "(but) anybody who is appoitned today can expect to be replaced i>y my appointees. "I believe we're only talking about a handful." That handful includes Undersheriffs Louis C. Fiocca of Wildwood and William J. Hunter of Wildwood Crest, and, at least, Edward Reeves, Fox's administrative secretary. Fox complained during the primary that part of the friction between him and party leaders developed from his failure to appoint an undersheriff from Ocean City at their insistence. Unlike Zagone, Plousis doesn't "see anything wrong with electing a sheriff It's been done since 1692." he noted. Appointing a sheriff would be "bucking the 'trend." Fox turned over operation of the countyjail to the freeholders after his primary defeat. Asked if he'll want that control returned if he wins the election. Plousis said "Yes. "TRADITIONALLY, the correction centers were run by sheriffs," he argued The jail in Crest Haven should be run by a full-time administrator (the sheriff), Plousis added, rather than burdening the freeholders. - Plousis is president of the Cedar Beach Civic Association in Ocean City, a member of the American Cancer Society board of governors and a merit badge instructor with the Atlantic County Council, Boy Scouts of America. He also serves on Ocean City Mayor Jack Bittner's advisory council that's reviewing possible recreational uses of wetlands in the city. Originafly from Pennsylvania he was one of foursons bom in Philadelphia In insuraqpe agent Andrew Plousis and his wife, Nancy. Raised in Lansdowne Delaware County, Pa., the candidate was graduated from Monsignor Bonner High School. He earned a bachelor's degree in history from Slippery Rock University io years ago and startpd work on a master's in the same subject there. Plousis said he might finish the graduate work when he has more tune as sheriff. He and Ins wife, the former Kathaline Schulleur of Drexel Hill, Pa., are raising then- children James, 8, and Jennifer. 6 in an Ocean City duplex. * r

"/ feel that people... doing their duty should be compensated for their time.

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