Joe O’Donoghue, a former Atlantic County sheriff’s officer, announced today that he will seek the Republican nomination to oppose Democratic incumbent Eric Scheffler.
O’Donoghue, known locally as “Tokyo Joe,” announced his bid on the Hurley in the Morning radio show.
“I’ve been a street cop all my life, policing is our family business and it’s time for me to get back to work,” O’Donoghue said. “Returning our Sheriff’s office to a premier law enforcement agency is my top priority.”
Scheffler, a former Atlantic City police lieutenant, defeated Republican Jack Glasser by 1,619 votes, a 51%-59% margin in 2017 following the retirement of Republican Frank Bailes.
O’Donoghue criticized Scheffler for shifting the department to “more of a social service agency than a tool to support law enforcement.”
“When I’m elected Sheriff we’ll get back to our core mission – securing the courts, and augmenting law enforcement across the 23 communities in Atlantic County,” said O’Donoghue.
O’Donoghue spent 18 years with the Atlantic County Sheriff’s Department before serving as a sergeant for the New Jersey Superior Court system. He has also served in several PBA leadership posts.
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