Longtime Somerset County Sheriff's Office Chief Dies

HILLSBOROUGH, NJ — Somerset County Sheriff's Office Chief Gary Scott Hoats, 57, died on Christmas Day, Dec. 25 at his home in Hillsborough.

Hoats was born in Wilkes-Barre, P and raised in South Bound Brook before settling in Hillsborough in 1998. He graduated from King College with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice.

Hats was appointed as a corrections officer for the Somerset County Sheriff’s Office in 1983 where he would serve for more than 34 years.

With more than 30 years experience in corrections administration, Hoats served in various leadership roles within the corrections division and in 2009 was appointed to Chief of Corrections. Over his career, he received numerous commendations during his service with the Sheriff’s Office and Somerset County Emergency Response, which included being recognized as a Certified Jail Manager by the American Jail Association in 1999.

Hoats was a member of various professional associations which included the National Sheriff’s Association, the New Jersey County Jail Warden’s Association, the New Jersey Chapter of the American Correctional Association, the American Jail Association and the American Correctional Food Service Association.

He was also a founding board member and vice president for the NJ Crisis Negotiator’s Association as well as a Crisis Negotiator for the Somerset County Emergency Response Team.

Predeceased by his father, Gary Clifford Hoats, he is survived by his wife of 33 years, Dominica Lewis of Hillsborough, his son and daughter, Aaron and Rachel Hoats of Hillsborough, his mother, June Hoats of South Bound Brook, his brother, Jeffrey Hoats of South Bound Brook, his sister-in-law, Elena Lewis of and brother -in-law Maurice Donnegan both of Alabama, and three nieces and one nephew.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10 a.m. on Friday, Dec. 29, in the Mary Mother of God Church, 157 S. Triangle Road, Hillsborough. Burial will follow at Bound Brook Cemetery, Bound Brook.

Visiting for relatives and friends will be from 4 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 28, at the church. Arrangements are under the direction of the Hillsborough Funeral Home.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Hoat's memory can be made to a charity of your choice.

(Image via Hillsborough Funeral Home)

Have a news tip? Email alexis.tarrazi@patch.com.

Get Patch breaking news alerts sent right to your phone with our new app. Download here.