Profile
A native of London, England, Chief Skinner immigrated to the United States with his parents as an infant, eventually becoming a Naturalized US Citizen in 1985. He grew up in Gladstone, NJ and graduated from Villanova University in 1991. Chief Skinner began his law enforcement career with the Peapack & Gladstone Police Department in 1987 and was promoted to Chief of Police in 2003 where he served until his retirement in December 2017. During his tenure as Chief he oversaw the introduction of patrol rifles for the Department and the start-up of the Special Law Enforcement Officer 2 (SLEO2) or part time officer program. In 2004 Chief Skinner organized the Somerset County law enforcement community in providing round the clock protection of the New Jersey Transit commuter railway system in Somerset County for the Republican National Convention in NYC, the 48th Super Bowl at MetLife Stadium in 2014, and the Papal Visit to NYC in 2015. His Police awards include the Chief’s Achievement Award, Honorable Service Award, Educational Achievement Award, Unit Citation, Somerset County 200 Club Valor Award, Somerset County Emergency Response Team Award, Somerset County DARE Award, Somerset County Police Academy Instructor Award and the Pistol Sharpshooter Award along with numerous letters of appreciation from the public. Skinner enlisted in the US Naval Reserve under the Advanced Pay Grade (APG) program where he served with Inshore Boat Unit 24 of Fort Dix, NJ from 1997 to 2005. He deployed to the United Arab Emirates as a boat crewman and Boat Captain (with independent weapons release authority) performing waterborne force protection for US Navy and Coalition warships in support of Operation Southern Watch and Enduring Freedom in 2000 and 2002. Some of Skinner’s military awards include 3 Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals, National Defense Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Navy Expert Pistol Medal, and the Navy Small Craft Pin. Gregory is also very active in his community. He has been a volunteer first responder for 38 years and currently serves as a Captain in the Peapack and Gladstone volunteer Fire Department and an EMT with the volunteer Emergency Medical Service where he served as its Captain in 1993. He was a member of the bio-ethics committee with the Matheny Medical and Educational Center and also served as a Captain in the Civil Air Patrol, the US Air Force Auxiliary. He is a life member of the US Naval Institute and member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 7858 in Bernardsville. He was elected Mayor of the Borough of Peapack & Gladstone in the 2018 election and assumed office in January 2019. He is currently in the last year of his 4 year term. During his term he has been instrumental in leading the Borough in its response to the COVID-19 pandemic as well as the recovery from several severe weather events. He currently is employed by the Somerset County Office of Emergency Management as an Emergence Support Specialist and also the Bernardsville Police Department as a SLEO2. Chief Skinner has two adult children: Abigail who resides in Charlotte, NC and John who resides in New York City.