MORRIS COUNTY — Morris County Sheriff James M. Gannon recently presided over a ceremony promoting six Sheriff’s Officers in the Historic Courtroom at the Morris County Courthouse. The ceremony marked a significant and positive impact on the management team of the Morris County Sheriff’s Office Bureau of Law Enforcement. Chief Kelley Zienowicz remarked on how important this day was for the leadership of the Office and how their collective influence will be present for years to come. Sheriff Gannon said how proud and confident he was of all those promoted. He challenged them to seek ways to improve the operations of the Office and thanked family members for their support of the promoted officers. The following received commissions:
Detective Captain Laura Flynn
Detective Captain Laura Flynn attended Morris Knolls High School and obtained a degree in Criminal Justice from the University of Delaware. After her graduation, she had several jobs, including a position as an investigator with the New Jersey State Division of Consumer Affairs.
During her college years, Laura interned with the Morris County Sheriff’s Office, Crime Scene Investigation Section. She enjoyed it and applied for a job with the agency. Captain Flynn was hired by the Morris County Sheriff’s Office Bureau of Law Enforcement on December 11, 2000, and began the Basic Police Training Academy in January 2001. Her first assignment was in the Protective Services Division. In December 2001, Captain Flynn was transferred to the Crime Scene Investigation Section, earning the title of Detective. The Crime Scene Investigation Section responds to over 1,000 cases per year and is responsible for assisting the 39 municipalities within Morris County and other county, state, and federal agencies. The section processes scenes about all types of crime, from criminal mischief to homicide. Captain Flynn has attended nearly 50 schools and conferences to hone her investigation skills, including advanced fingerprinting, bloodstain pattern analysis, digital photography, and shooting incident reconstruction. Captain Flynn has testified in several high-profile trials and qualifies as a fingerprint expert.
Captain Flynn was certified as a firearms instructor in July of 2007 and was appointed the Supervising Firearms Instructor in 2015. Captain Flynn was trained as an AFIS operator, and assisted with all latent print reports, submissions, and identifications. She became a Corporal in April of 2014, then was promoted to a Sergeant in February of 2015, where she remained in the Crime Scene Investigation Section. Captain Flynn was promoted to Detective Lieutenant in the Criminal Investigations Division in September 2019. She also served as a Lieutenant in the Community Outreach and Planning Section for one year. Captain Flynn is a member of the New Jersey State Division of the International Association for Identification. She recently completed the FBI LEEDA Executive Leadership Institute course.
Detective Captain Michael Turkot
Detective Captain Turkot is in his 20th year with the Morris County Sheriff’s Office. He has served in different roles throughout his career, but most recently, before this promotion, he served as Detective Lieutenant of the Legal Services Division. Throughout his tenure in Legal Services, Captain Turkot has modernized the division’s business practices. He is the Civil Process Committee chairperson for the Sheriff’s Association of NJ, requiring communication with the other 20 NJ Sheriff’s Offices. Captain Turkot is one of the legislative representatives for the Sheriff’s Association and routinely works with state legislators on bills and policies affecting the state’s Sheriff’s Offices. In addition to maintaining these roles and responsibilities, Captain Turkot continues to excel, by attending training courses and obtaining certifications, such as the New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police (NJSACOP) Command and Leadership Academy.
Detective Lieutenant Craig Brooks
Detective Lieutenant Craig Brooks graduated from Boonton High School and enlisted in the United States Marine Corps, where he served honorably for seven years, achieving the rank of Corporal. Lieutenant Brooks was stationed in Camp LeJeune, NC, and Picatinny Arsenal during his military time. He traveled the world and served two deployments in Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom and one in Kosovo. Following his military service, he worked at ADP assisting with payroll operations and later joined Deutsche Bank as a Security Supervisor.
Lieutenant Brooks began his career with the Morris County Sheriff’s Office in 2005. After graduating from the academy, he was assigned to the Protective Services Division at the Morris County Courthouse. In 2010, Lieutenant Brooks transferred to the Special Services Division, Criminal Scene Investigation Section (CSI), where he obtained the rank of Detective. His responsibilities included assisting municipal and external law enforcement agencies with crime scene photography, processing, and evidence collection. He also supported the Ballistics Unit within CSI and was qualified as a Ballistics expert in the Superior Court.
In March 2016, Lieutenant Brooks was promoted to Detective Sergeant and transferred to the Evidence Unit, where he oversaw the daily operations of over 35,000 pieces of evidence. His responsibilities included evidence intake and distribution, training staff on the Barcoded Evidence Analysis Statistical Tracking (BEAST) system, and assisting with inquiries related to its use. He also played a key role in coordinating prescription medication disposal programs throughout Morris County. A few years later, Lieutenant Brooks assumed supervisory responsibility for the Evidence Unit and the Crime Scene Investigation Section. Throughout his career, Lieutenant Brooks has attended countless training courses and obtained various certifications that have assisted him in excelling in each assignment. Most recently, in March 2025, he completed the FBI Law Enforcement Executive Development Association (LEEDA) Course.
Detective Lieutenant Michael Abate
Detective Lieutenant Michael Abate graduated from The Citadel and earned a bachelor’s degree in political science. After graduating, he entered the United States Army and served in the Military Police Corps in various stateside and overseas assignments. After separating from the Army, Lieutenant Abate worked in finance at UBS, an investment banking company, and at the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority.
Lieutenant Abate joined the Morris County Sheriff’s Office in July 2012. After graduating from the Morris County Public Safety Training Academy’s 79th Basic Police Class, he served in a variety of assignments, including the Protective Services Division, Crime Scene Investigations, and the Evidence Section. His most recent position was as the Legal Services Sergeant of the Process section.
Lieutenant Abate continuously pursues knowledge and received his MBA from Fairleigh Dickinson University in 2017. He has completed the U.S. Army’s Military Police Advanced Course, the Combined Arms Services Staff School, Physical Security Course, and Anti-Terrorism Course. Throughout his career, Lieutenant Abate has received extensive training in crime scene investigations, including photography, bloodstain analysis, and accident investigations. His knowledge and expertise have qualified him as an expert witness in fingerprints and shooting reconstruction with the New Jersey Superior Court.
Sergeant Stephen Chiarella
Sergeant Stephen Chiarella graduated from County College of Morris, Summa Cum Laude, with an associate’s degree in finance. After a successful career in finance, his true passion was in public service. Sergeant Chiarella pursued his dream and began his law enforcement career with the Morris County Sheriff’s Office in July of 2013, where, upon graduation from the police academy, he was assigned to the Court Services Division.
Over the past 12 years, Sergeant Chiarella has served in various specialized roles, including assignments with the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office Narcotics Task Force. As a K-9 Handler, he obtained the title of Detective, where he completed rigorous training in both Patrol and Explosive Detection, training with the New Jersey State Police and the New Jersey Render Safe Task Force.
Sergeant Chiarella is a certified Firearms Instructor, a Field Training Officer, and a member of the New Jersey Judiciary Security Management Response Team, where he helps ensure safety and readiness across the NJ State court system.
Beyond his law enforcement duties, Sergeant Chiarella has shown commitment to his fellow officers through more than a decade of service on the New Jersey State Policemen’s Benevolent Association Local 151 Executive Board. He has held numerous leadership positions, including President, Vice President, and New Jersey State Delegate, where he advocated for his peers’ rights, safety, and welfare.
Detective Sergeant Michael Vanarelli
Sergeant Michael Vanarelli attended Montville Township High School and earned an associate’s degree in management information systems from the County College of Morris. The Morris County Sheriff’s Office hired him in July 2013. Since then, he has been assigned to the Evidence Section under the Criminal Investigations Division and the Court Services Division, Protective Services Section.
