Jim Plousis (left) tells an entertaining tale of his law enforcement career with the skillful writing of George Ingram of Ocean City, a former Philadelphia Inquirer writer. (Photo courtesy George Ingram)
By TIM KELLY
An Ocean City author and a former U.S. Marshal, Cape May County Sheriff and longtime law enforcement professional, have teamed up to tell an entertaining and informative story – and to aid a very good cause.
“Jersey Lawman: Life on the Right Side of Crime” is an engaging and entertaining new memoir of James Plousis.
Like any good nonfiction book, it engages and entertains the reader with “truth is more amazing than fiction” moments.
But "Jersey Lawman" is more than just a good book.
The co-author, George Ingram, a former Philadelphia Inquirer writer who lives in Ocean City, and Plousis have agreed that all proceeds from the book are to be donated to the U.S. Marshal’s Survivors Benefit Fund, which aids the families of Marshals killed in the line of duty.
“I was at a neighborhood gathering when I began hearing all of these really interesting stories and anecdotes from Jim Plousis,” Ingram recalled. “I told him that I thought it would make a heck of a book.”
Plousis, an Ocean City resident whose current job is chairman of the New Jersey Casino Control Commission, agreed to the project, and both men decided that any funds generated should go to assist those who lost a loved one as a result of their line of work as U.S. Marshals.
Although both men agreed the project was worthwhile, neither anticipated the time and effort involved at first.
“We would get together once a week and I would talk to Jim,” Ingram said. “I would write a chapter based on our talk and bring it to him. Jim would outline any sins of omission or other things to be changed, I would make the edits and then we would move on to the next chapter.”
It was a painstaking process that took over four years to complete, Ingram said. However, the result was one both men were proud of, he said.
“We were both pleased with the way it turned out,” Ingram noted.
