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Delaware County Elected Officials
Sheriff - Joseph F. McGinn
In October 2003, Joseph F. McGinn was appointed Sheriff to fill the unexpired term of Judge Chad Kenney and was sworn in as the 61st Sheriff of the County of Delaware. In 2005, he ran and won the Primary Election and was elected Sheriff for his first four-year term the following November. In 2009, Sheriff McGinn was re-elected to a second full term. He considers his reelection validation of the work of the Sheriff’s Office and the programs he instituted during his first term.
Sheriff McGinn manages 60 uniformed and 15 civilian support personnel, including both union-represented and management employees. As a testament to his management skills, the Sheriff has always operated within a yearly budget of approximately $4 million for his office.
Sheriff McGinn’s office is responsible for the security of the courts, service of civil writs, along with criminal and domestic bench warrants. In addition, Sheriff’s Deputies provide transportation for prisoners to and from the Court House in Media, the county prison and other facilities, as necessary. The Sheriff’s Office also issues licenses to carry firearms, conducts sales of real estate and personal property as mandated by the courts, teaches D.A.R.E. classes, as well as participates in many community events throughout the county. The Sheriff frequently gives lectures to civic groups and other organizations on various topics ranging from the duties of the Sheriff and his Office, to firearms safety, mortgage foreclosures and identity theft.
During Sheriff McGinn’s term he developed and implemented a Sheriff’s Reserve Unit to train and qualify individuals to supplement his staff and local Police Departments during times when additional hands are required. In addition, he implemented a K-9 Bomb/Search & Rescue Unit. In 2005, he hosted the Pennsylvania Sheriff’s Convention, and organized the Southeastern Sheriff’s Warrant Task Force.
In May 2008, Sheriff McGinn was chosen as one of thirty-five law enforcement professionals from several thousand applicants to participate in the Naval Post-Graduate School and U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security Center for Homeland Defense and Security’s Executive Leadership Program, graduating in February 2009.
Sheriff McGinn’s leadership skills and talents were honed during his service in the US Army in Vietnam where he held the rank of Specialist 5th Class. Following his military service he graduated from Delaware County Community College (DCCC) with an Associates Degree in Applied Science, a Bachelor of Science Degree in Education from Temple University, and a Masters Degree in Education Administration from Cheyney University.
McGinn retired as an Associate Professor from DCCC. As in instructor in the Technology Cluster, he developed the curriculum and course materials for four programs in the Electronics Technology unit. As Department Coordinator for the Cluster, he was responsible for interviewing part-time instructors. He is currently Chairman of the DCCC Institute for Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness. In 2009, he was appointed to the Board of Governors of the Pa. State System of Higher Education.
At the time of his appointment as Sheriff in 2003, Joe McGinn was also a small business owner. As proprietor of a professional portrait studio, he managed all aspects of a very successful operation. McGinn is also very proud of his many years of service as a Commissioner for Lower Chichester Township, where he served with distinction.
The Sheriff now serves on the Board of Directors of the Pennsylvania Sheriffs’ Association as Secretary and Treasurer. He is actively involved with the Homeland Security Committee of the National Sheriffs’ Association, and is a member of the Delaware County Chiefs of Police Association. In January 2010, McGinn was appointed by the US Coast Guard to the Sector Delaware Bay Area Maritime Security Committee Managing Board as chairman of the Training and Exercise subcommittee.
Sheriff McGinn lives in Lower Chichester with his wife of 33 years, Judie. They are the proud parents of two adult children, Kellie and Joe, and one granddaughter, Page.