MORRIS COUNTY – With the recent announcement that Sheriff Ed Rochford would not be seeking re-election this year, John Sierchio officially announced his candidacy to seek the Republican nomination for Morris County Sheriff.
Sierchio has devoted his life to serving and protecting his community, rising from Sheriff’s Officer to Detective Sergeant in his 27-year law enforcement career. Sierchio also served as Chairman of the state’s Police and Fireman’s Retirement System, where the Star-Ledger called him a “crusader” for saving millions of taxpayer dollars by exposing fraudulent pension claims.
“First and foremost, the job of Sheriff is to keep us safe, and my 27 years on the job every day – whether as a Sheriff’s Officer, Police Officer, Detective or Detective Sergeant – provides me the real world, on-the-ground experience to confront the new realities of crime in Morris County in 2016,” stated Sierchio, who served on the Bloomfield Police Department, the Essex County Police Department, and as an Essex County Sheriff’s Officer. “There’s no one better equipped to fight the explosion of drugs, infiltration of gangs, and the crimes associated with these threats in our communities than me, because I’ve been doing it my entire life.”
“Other people may talk about saving taxpayer dollars and reforming government, but I’ve already been hard at work doing both,” said Sierchio, who served five years as Chairman of the state’s Police and Fireman’s Retirement System and twelve years total on its Board of Trustees. “By shining a light on fraudulent pension claims, I saved millions of dollars for taxpayers and protected the savings of law-abiding citizens.”
Sierchio was appointed by Governor Chris Christie to serve as a Member of the Governor’s Transition Team in 2009, where John served as a member of the Law and Public Safety Subcommittee.
On Day 1 of being sworn in as Sheriff, John Sierchio will:
- Institute a forensic, line-by-line auditing report of the Sheriff’s budget to investigate areas for saving taxpayer dollars; the report will be due within 100 days, at which time its findings will be acted upon
- Immediately convene a Sheriff’s Committee to combat the county’s growing opiate and heroin crisis, consisting of local officials, law enforcement, community leaders, and experts in the field of drug abuse prevention and recovery; the task force will issue its report with concrete recommendations within 100 days
- Meet with all local police chiefs to share intelligence, increase efficiencies, and enhance coordination of law enforcement resources in our towns, neighborhoods, and schools
- Continuing Sheriff Rochford’s practice of refusing to accept the full Sheriff’s salary, John will accept only the minimum salary allowed by law
John is married with four children and lives with his family in Boonton Township, where he has served as a Member of the Board of Education since 2008. John is a member of many organizations, including the New Jersey State PBA, the Italian American Police Society, and is a Life Member of the National Rife Association.
