MORRIS COUNTY — Chief of Detectives Robert “Bob” McNally of the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office is retiring after more than 30 years in law enforcement, marked Friday with a walkout ceremony at the Morris County Administration and Records Building.
The ceremony was attended by Morris County Prosecutor Robert Carroll, First Assistant Prosecutor Maggie Calderwood, Morris County Sheriff James Gannon, members of the Prosecutor’s Office and Sheriff’s Office, the Morris County Police Chiefs Association, local police departments and other colleagues. Commissioner Director Stephen Shaw presented McNally with a framed Resolution of Honor on behalf of the Morris County Board of County Commissioners, recognizing his law enforcement career and his service to the United States as a Marine.
“Since being appointed Chief of Detectives in 2023, Chief McNally has led the entire investigative division, keeping our county safe while managing state and federal partnerships,” Shaw said, also noting McNally’s role with the Police Pipes and Drums of Morris County. “On behalf of the Board of County Commissioners and a deeply grateful community, we thank him for his extraordinary lifetime of service.”
Carroll called McNally’s career one of “achievement, dedication and integrity,” saying his knowledge of violent crime investigations and complex cases earned him recognition as a leader respected across law enforcement.
A Career Spanning Federal and County Law Enforcement
McNally began his law enforcement career in 1996 with the United States Customs Service in Newark following his honorable discharge from the United States Marine Corps, where he served as a sniper team leader and completed three deployments. As a federal officer, he made numerous arrests and seizures involving narcotics and currency violations, including a $1 million currency seizure tied to narcotics smuggling.
He joined the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office in 2003 as a detective, serving in the Intelligence and Professional Standards and Internal Affairs units before transferring to the Major Crimes Unit. Over roughly 12 years there, he investigated homicides, bank robberies, suspicious deaths, fatal fires and police-involved shootings. In 2007, he was named Morris County Detective of the Year by the Morris County Detectives Association for his work as lead detective on a homicide investigation involving human remains discovered in a remote part of the county.
McNally rose through the ranks as sergeant, lieutenant, captain and deputy chief of investigations before Carroll appointed him chief of detectives in February 2023. In that role, he led the office’s investigative division and served as a point of contact for Morris County’s 37 police departments, the Sheriff’s Office, the New Jersey State Police and federal partners.
“Bob has always been a talented, dedicated detective whose work made the Morris County community safer and brought closure to countless victims of crime and their families,” said Calderwood, who worked alongside McNally for 23 years.
Throughout his career, McNally served as a firearms instructor, hostage and crisis negotiator, and a member of the Tactical Narcotics Team. He completed the West Point Command and Leadership Program, FBI Law Enforcement Executive Development Association courses, and Crisis Mental Health Intervention Training, among other programs.
Sheriff Gannon praised McNally’s professionalism and integrity, saying his expertise in major crime investigations “set a benchmark for excellence.”
A longtime member of the Morris County Police Pipes and Drums, McNally has regularly performed at the county’s Memorial Day and Veterans Day ceremonies. He is married to Sarah, a longtime employee of the Prosecutor’s Office, and they have three sons.
