Guadagno asks deliberately, traces of her background as a crime-fighting U.S. Attorney present in her voice.  The answer is obvious; every uniformed graduate in that photograph is a man.  Guadagno is quick, however, to point out that the sheriff’s office is not about gender.  “Being a corrections officer is totally selfless and is a perfect form of public service,” Guadagno noted.  “I am looking forward to seeing diversity based on qualifications,” she added, “and it will be embraced in the sheriff’s office”.

Sworn in this past January after a long and arduous campaign, Guadagno acknowledged some concern over voters’ perception of her gender.  “I wondered when walking into a room if the audience would feel a woman could be sheriff.  I used humor and explained my qualifications.  I always walked out of the room feeling like I had won them over,” she stated.  Guadagno always encourages more women to run for office and readily offers guidance.  “There is a group of people who believe that women can’t multi-task, so just disregard those people.  Women are certainly capable of multi-tasking.  Women and men are able to balance their daily lives quite well,” she noted, emphasizing the word “and”.  Her eyes blazing, Guadagno offered additional insights.  “Don’t be afraid to get out there,” she said, remembering her successful campaign for Monmouth Beach commissioner.

More alarming to Guadagno is the poor perception that young people have of politics and public service.  “According to the Council for Excellence in Government only one in ten young people want to run for office, and that is a shame,” she added.  “I believe in the system; it works and is the best in the world”, Guadagno added.  While she acquiesced that the system is not perfect, Guadagno wants more people to take action.  “If you have the background, go do it.  Be one of the honest ones, and stop complaining about dishonest politicians,” she said.

The first female sheriff in Monmouth County and only the third in the state, Guadagno said that everyone has been very cooperative, supportive, and respectful during her transition into office.  “There is a structure, a chain of command, and everyone needs to follow the rules,” she stated.  Guadagno enthusiastically credited her family as her strongest system of support.  “My husband is completely supportive, and so are my kids.  They love it that I am the sheriff,” she said.  Guadagno’s husband, the Honorable Michael Guadagno, is an Ocean County judge.  They have three children, all boys, ages 15, 12, and 7.  Guadagno also teaches legal writing at Rutgers University.  “You juggle and just make it work,” she added.  Conjecturing on her future as a role model for other women, Guadagno said she views herself as a vehicle to “push, support, and instill confidence in women who can do more.  I want to get out and push those who need to be pushed,” she added.

According to Guadagno, the Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office is one of the most highly accredited of any sheriff’s office in the country.  “I will continue the accreditation process and support anything that enhances the safety and security of our citizens,” she said.  “My legacy will be a continuation of that protection,” Guadagno added.

In her own words, serving as sheriff is everything Guadagno imagined and more.  “It’s a very, very diverse office and no two days are the same,” she noted.  Guadagno cited the extensive community outreach programs and said many of them are geared toward senior citizens and children.  “Project Lifesaver provides wristbands for seniors and autistic children in the event they are lost.  To date, five individuals have been found as a result of the program,” she said.  Guadagno also mentioned the popular, long-standing Safe Cargo program, which teaches parents how to install child safety seats properly.  “You can really make life better for people,” she stated.  On that note, Guadagno explained that her office could actually intervene and provide a much-needed dose of reality for at-risk adults and children.  At-risk children take tours of the jail, according to Guadagno, so they can see what confinement is like.  “It scares them,” she stated. 

Fiscally speaking, just about any New Jersey resident knows there has been a huge outcry for reductions in government spending – on local, county, and state levels.  Guadagno is all too aware of this, and is eager to explain that for every dollar of overtime spent at the jail, $3 in revenue is taken in. “Overtime is also not part of the pension system”, she added.  Guadagno is considering other sources of revenue and mentioned that costs are offset by filling jail beds with inmates from other states.  “We actually just expanded this,” she noted.  When asked what she would do if there were no budgetary constraints, Guadagno was quick on the draw and said, “I can’t think like that.  I have to spend wisely.”  She did, however, express a desire to give at-risk teenagers more to do in the afternoons and evenings.  “Then I wouldn’t have to have a gang program”, Guadagno stated. 

While in office just under three months, Guadagno has approached her role proactively.  “The first week I was here, a father was gunned down in Asbury Park.  The Latino community called for better communications with the Asbury Park Police Department.  As a result, the sheriff’s office offered language interpretation services from its 9-1-1 communications center,” she stated.  Guadagno also implemented a pilot regional teen driver safety program in Middletown with help from Assemblywoman Amy Handlin, (R-13).  Police would be able to identify teenagers with provisional licenses through a decal displayed on their cars, according to Guadagno.  “I’ve made it my duty to help ensure that teenage drivers with provisional licenses drive safely.  We must prevent any further tragedies involving teenage drivers on our roadways,” she said. 

“This is just a fascinating job,” she said, “and Joe told me I would love it,” referring to former Sheriff Joseph Oxley.  “You can really make a difference; you can just do it.”