Morris County Sheriff James Gannon will join Jack Ciattarelli on the Republican ticket as the nominee for lieutenant governor. The announcement was made Wednesday, July 23rd, in Boonton.
A 64-year-old law enforcement veteran, Gannon is serving his third term as sheriff. He began his career as a patrol officer in Boonton Township. He rose to deputy chief of investigations at the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office, where he led more than 120 homicide cases, including the high-profile 1992 murder of Exxon executive Sidney Reso.
His background also includes time on the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force and work in global security at Novartis Pharmaceuticals. As sheriff, he launched the county’s Cold Case Unit and has trained law enforcement officers nationally and internationally.
Gannon has also prioritized addiction and mental health services. He created “Hope One,” a mobile outreach van offering Narcan training and treatment resources, as well as the “Hope Wing,” a program within the county jail for inmates struggling with substance use.
In 2018, he helped develop RSVP-3, a school safety program that produced an app for anonymous threat reporting. The initiative was a joint effort with local police and mental health professionals.
A lifelong resident of Boonton Township and the son of an NYPD detective, Gannon holds degrees from County College of Morris and William Paterson University. He also completed advanced law enforcement training at the FBI National Academy.
Ciattarelli’s pick adds a strong public safety focus to his campaign and brings a well-known law enforcement figure with bipartisan ties to the ticket. If elected, Gannon will be the first man to serve as lieutenant governor since the creation of the role in 2005.
