MAYS LANDING — Capt. James Sharkey of the Atlantic County Sheriff’s Office was promoted to the rank of chief sheriff’s officer effective Jan. 1.
Sheriff Eric Scheffler said the Linwood resident entered law enforcement in 1997 when he was hired by the Atlantic County Justice Facility. During his tenure there, Sharkey served as both a corrections officer and corrections sergeant.
In 2004, Sharkey was hired by the Atlantic County Sheriff’s Office and assigned to the Courts and Transportation Unit and then the Fugitive Unit. He was promoted to the rank of sergeant in 2009, lieutenant in 2012 and captain in 2017.
While rising through the ranks, Sharkey was assigned to the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office’s Guns, Gangs and Narcotics Task Force, was the department’s supervising firearms instructor and served as a member of the Atlantic County Emergency Response Team.
Scheffler said Sharkey is one of the most knowledgeable and dedicated supervisors he has ever worked with, noting that Sharkey has received a certificate of merit for Exceptional Police Service from PBA local 243, and Honorable Service, Exceptional Service and the Gallantry Star Excellent Arrest awards from the Sheriff’s Office.
He and his wife have two children.
