Essex County Sheriff’s Office Swears In 1st African American, Female Chief

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — The Essex County Sheriff’s Office officially has its first African American and female chief.

Sheriff Amir Jones formally administered the oath of office to several newly promoted staff members on Wednesday. The high-achieving law enforcement officers include Zipporah Thomas Jenkins, who was sworn in as the first African American and first woman to serve as chief in the office’s history.

According to the sheriff’s office, Thomas Jenkins has served with the agency for more than 24 years, earning the respect of colleagues and the community through her “leadership, professionalism and commitment to public safety.”

Other sheriff’s officers that took the oath on Wednesday included Sergeants Garrett Barbalinardo and Hugo Torres, Lieutenants Christopher Bozios Jr. and Ryan Peter, and Captain Cecil Barker.

“I’m so proud of this promotion class,” Jones said.

“Every stripe, every star, and every badge is earned — never given,” he added.

“My hope is that our department continues to grow, and that through promotions — especially historic ones like Chief Thomas Jenkins’ — women in law enforcement can see that if she can do it, so can they,” Jones said.

Send local news tips and correction requests to eric.kiefer@patch.com. Learn more about advertising on Patch here. Find out how to post announcements or events to your local Patch site.