Ocean City Author, Former U.S. Marshal, Featured At Book Festival

OCEAN CITY, NJ — Ocean City authors Jim Plousis and George Ingram will participate in the upcoming Collingswood Book Festival to promote their new book, which provides an insider's look at a career in law enforcement and which benefits the U.S. Marshals Survivors Benefit Fund.

The book, “Jersey Lawman”, is a first-person narrative that tells the story of Plousis and his career, which spanned more than four decades working in law enforcement. The book chronicles his journey from rookie cop in a tough Pine Barrens town to becoming the youngest elected county sheriff in America at the time. From there, the book delves into his appointment as a U.S. Marshal to his tenure as chairman of the New Jersey Parole Board.

The 19th annual Collingswood Book Festival will be held Oct.2 and celebrates literacy. The event will feature book signings, poetry, contests, workshops and will feature many authors, including children's book authors. The festival runs from 10 a.m.- 4 p.m. and will be held at 801 Haddon Ave. in Collingswood.

“Jersey Lawman” was awarded second place for best nonfiction in the 2020 competition of the Public Safety Writers Association competition.

Plousis served as a police officer in Woodbine and Ocean City before he was elected Cape May County Sheriff at age 32. He served in that role for five terms and earned national recognition for his innovative approach to public safety. President George W. Bush appointed Plousis as U.S. Marshal for New Jersey in 2002.

In that role, he brought the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Safe Surrender Program to Camden and other New Jersey cities while working on high-profile cases. Plousis, who now serves as the chairman of the New Jersey Casino Control Commission in Atlantic City, later worked for seven years as the chairman of the state’s patrol board.

Plousis worked with Ingram, a local freelance writer, to weave stories of his career into the book, which includes his experiences working at various levels of law enforcement at the local and state and federal levels.

Proceeds from the book will go to help the U.S. Marshals Benefit Survivor Fund, a not-for-profit organization that was formed to disperse charitable and educational monies to surviving family members of active U.S. Marshals and other Marshal Services employees who were killed in the line of duty.