Sheriff James Gannon (copy)

James M. Gannon is the 77^th. Sheriff of Morris County, having taken office on January 2, 2017.

Jim grew up in Boonton Township in a large Irish and Polish Catholic family with two brothers and one sister, who were raised by his father, mother and grandmother.  His passion for law enforcement came from his father, who was a New York City Police Detective.  Gannon graduated Boonton High School where he played multiple sports and was a member of the Boonton Township Fire Service.

Gannon earned his Associate’s degree in Law Enforcement from County College of Morris in 1981, and then his Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice Administration from William Paterson University in 1983.  After graduation, Gannon started out as a Patrolman in his hometown of Boonton, and Boonton Township, followed by public service as Deputy Chief of Investigations at the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office, the FBI’s elite Joint Terrorism Task Force and Morris County-based Novartis Pharmaceuticals, where he retired as the Global Head of Security Risk.

Along the way, Gannon graduated from the FBI National Academy, National Sheriff’s Institute, earned a Certificate in Supervisory Management from Rutgers in 1997 and a Masters of Administrative Science from Fairleigh Dickinson University in 2005.

During his decorated, 43 -year career in law enforcement and security, Gannon served as Commander of the FuncoLand Homicide Task Force and the Walter Contreras Homicide Task Force, formed the Morris County Cold Case Unit, co-authored the “Morris County Counter-Terrorism Task Force Manual,” and has lectured and trained fellow professionals, and conducted investigations, in places like Russia, Ukraine, South Africa, Hungary, Thailand and Uzbekistan, uniquely preparing him for the day-to-day battle to protect Morris County citizens from terror attacks.

Gannon has been instrumental in collaborating with both public and private entities to deal head on with the Opioid Epidemic. He has developed the “Hope One” program, the “Hope Wing” and “Successful Transition And Reentry” (STAR) at the Morris County Correctional Facility, the “Hope Hub”, “Community Connections” (with Prosecutors Office and Judiciary) and the County Identification Program, all designed to assist folks with addictions and other challenges of life. Gannon is also the creator of the Morris County Responsible School Violence Prevention (RSVP) program.

In addition to his professional career in law enforcement and security, Gannon has given back to the surrounding communities in many other ways, including as 2026 President of the Constitutional Officers Association of NJ (COANJ), former President of the Sheriff’s Association of New Jersey (SANJ), former Chairman of the Board of the 200 Club of Morris County, Honorary Boonton Firefighter and Fire Chief, Life Member of the New Jersey State PBA # 327, Co-Founder of the Morris County Chapter of the Emerald Society of the State of New Jersey, Vice Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Greystone Park Psychiatric Hospital and as former Drum Major in the Police Pipes & Drums of Morris County to name just a few.

Gannon was married to his wife, Lisa, for 26 years before losing her in 2010 after a courageous battle against Multiple Sclerosis.  Jim and Lisa had one daughter, Kate DeSantis who, along with her husband Matt, are parents to son Luca and daughter Ella.