MONMOUTH COUNTY – Making history as the first woman to serve as the county’s top law enforcement officer, Lori Linskey has been sworn in as Acting Monmouth County Prosecutor.
On June 2, a ceremony was held with Linskey being sworn in before Monmouth County Superior Court Assignment Judge Lisa P. Thornton.
After Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni recently announced his resignation, Governor Phil Murphy selected Linskey to become Acting Prosecutor. Linskey is the first woman ever to lead the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office and become the top law enforcement officer in the County.
“To be the first woman in the history of this office to serve in the Prosecutor’s chair is an incredible honor. It is a testament to our state and Monmouth County that bright, qualified women have been able to serve in prestigious positions,” Linskey said.
Linskey is a 24-year veteran of law enforcement and has served as Monmouth County First Assistant Prosecutor since 2017. After arriving in the office in 2013, Linskey has held the positions of Deputy First Assistant Prosecutor and Executive Prosecutor. She has also worked as Deputy Attorney General in the New Jersey Division of Criminal Justice for 16 years, where she then rose to the position of Acting Bureau Chief.
“To serve as Prosecutor is the culmination of a career that has been singularly focused on prosecutorial leadership and innovation. For me – the position of Prosecutor is not a stepping-stone, resume builder, or trophy. I revere the position because I understand its significance and the possibilities that it affords me to lead our office forward at a time of critical importance. The safety and security of all of our residents and the visitors who come to Monmouth County is paramount. Our community outreach is more pivotal at this time than ever before – I am engaged, I am listening, and I have never been afraid to have difficult conversations or to look inward to determine what we can do better,” Linskey said.
Some initiatives Linskey has launched include: Special Needs Registry and Growth Through Opportunity Pilot Programs, which provides internship opportunities in Monmouth County law enforcement agencies for persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities; Crisis Intervention Team Training for Monmouth County law enforcement and mental health professionals, which brings new de-escalation strategies to first responders; and a distracted driving campaign called Unplugged and Alive.
Linskey is involved in Community Law Enforcement Unit trainings and interactions with the community and faith-based leaders. She’s also planning a number of diversity and inclusivity initiatives for the MCPO which she will be announcing soon.
At the ceremony, Judge Thornton also swore in Michael J. Wojciechowski as Acting Monmouth County First Assistant Prosecutor and John McCabe as Acting Monmouth County Chief of Detectives. Judge Thornton also administered oaths to all of the office’s Assistant Prosecutors and Detectives designating their status as ‘Acting,’ which is standard protocol statewide when an Acting Prosecutor is appointed.
