Saratoga County Sheriff's Office Facility Honored by National Publication |
|
Public Safety Building Recognized with Bronze Award |
|
The new Saratoga County Sheriff’s Paul E. Lent Public Safety Facility was recently recognized with a Bronze Award by Law Enforcement Technology magazine.
A panel of five judges from law-enforcement, architectural and emergency-response backgrounds reviewed the submissions and conferred the awards.
Saratoga County’s Facility was honored in the category of Public Safety Centers, for “consolidating emergency response, coordination among multiple county departments, and the ability to withstand natural disasters and man-made threats.”
The 2020 Awards “share the work of law enforcement agencies to provide state-of-the art, secure facilities to protect law enforcement personnel and employees to better serve and protect their communities.”
|
|
Two Sheriffs Will Move on to New Opportunities in 2022 |
|
Two long-serving sheriffs have announced they will not run for reelection when their current terms end this December.
Schuyler County Sheriff William Yessman, who has been with the sheriff's office for 36 years and is in the final year of his fourth term, will not seek a fifth term. Yessman was first elected in 2005 and ran unopposed three more times. In announcing that he will not seek another term, Sheriff Yessman threw his support behind his Undersheriff, Breck Spaulding.
Looking back, Yessman noted his ability to keep in touch with his constituents.
"My biggest thing has been listening to the residents of the county," said the Sheriff. "I used to say I did my best business in the Walmart parking lot on Sunday mornings. People will come up and say 'I hate to bother you,' but that's part of the sheriff's job."
Sheriff Yessman plans to spend his retirement with his grandchildren and other family members.
|
|
Also, Sheriff Timothy Howard of Erie County (pictured) recently announced plans to run for Supervisor of the Town of Wales when his term is up this year, ending a 16-year career as Sheriff and more than 40 years in law enforcement.
Sheriff Howard, a former Staff Inspector with the New York State Police, and subsequently Erie County Undersheriff, took on the Office of Sheriff in 2005 after former Sheriff Patrick Gallivan was elected to the New York State Senate.
|
|
When a Jailhouse Was a Home |
|
When Schuyler County Undersheriff Breck Spaulding announced he would be running to succeed his retiring boss, he also announced that, if elected, he will name Sheriff’s Lieutenant Matthew Maloney as his Undersheriff.
Lt. Maloney has served with the Schuyler County Sheriff’s Office for 22 years, but he has an even longer association with the Office. He spent his childhood in the home attached to the jail, when his father, Michael Maloney was the long-serving Sheriff of the county, and his mother, Carrie, served as the matron and cook. Sheriff Maloney was the last New York Sheriff to “live in the jail” under the old practice of counties providing the Sheriff with “maintenance” and a residence, usually one attached to the jail. Also, it was customary for the Sheriff’s spouse to serve as the jail matron, having supervision of the few female inmates in those days, and often serving as the jail cook as well.
Yates County Sheriff Ron Spike also grew up in a jail, when his late father, George Spike, was Sheriff of Yates County for many years, and his mother, also, was the matron and cook. Sheriff Spike has many interesting stories about “doing time” in the jail as a youth.
|
|
Jailbirds of a feather — Schuyler County Sheriff's Lieutenant Matthew Maloney (above) and Yates County Sheriff Ron Spike (below) learned about jail life early. |
|
Chautauqua Sheriff Appointed to Leadership of NSA Committee |
|
|
|
NSA President Sheriff Dave Mahoney recently announced the appointment of Chautauqua County Sheriff Jim Quattrone (pictured) as Vice-Chairman of the NSA’s Jail, Detention & Corrections Committee.
“I am pleased to accept this appointment and will support the work of the Committee as needed,” responded Sheriff Quattrone on the notice of his appointment.
The Committee is charged with addressing issues affecting management and operations of jail facilities. It is one of the most active committees of the NSA and the appointment is a great compliment to Sheriff Quattrone. Congratulations Sheriff!
|
|
Sheriffs Appointed and Reappointed to Law Enforcement Agency Accreditation Council |
|
Governor Cuomo recently approved the nominations by the Sheriffs’ Association of three Sheriffs and a Sheriff’s Sergeant to serve on the Law Enforcement Agency Accreditation Council.
Wayne County Sheriff Barry Virts and Oneida County Sheriff Rob Maciol (pictured), already members of the Council, were reappointed by the Governor. Monroe County Sheriff Todd Baxter was appointed as the newest Sheriff-member of the Council, which sets accreditation standards for New York police agencies, and grants accreditation upon an agency’s compliance with those standards.
|
Also named to the Council this month, by Governor Cuomo, was Sheriff's Sergeant Leighton Filiatrault (pictured) of the St. Lawrence County Sheriff's Office. Sergeant Filiatrault was jointly nominated for appointment, as required by statute, by the New York State Sheriffs' Association and the New York State Deputies Association. |
|
Wayne County Sheriff Barry Virts |
Monroe County Sheriff Todd Baxter |
|
Suffolk Sheriff’s Staff Transform to National Guard Service |
|
Lt. Scott Walsh and C/O Christopher Sygney (pictured above) deployed with the National Guard to the U.S. Capitol as Senior Master Sergeant Walsh and Staff Sergeant Sygney. They are among 25,000 soldiers and other service members from multiple law enforcement agencies who were sworn in as Special Police in the Nation’s Capitol. Assigned to defend the Supreme Court for the duration of Inauguration Week, SMSgt. Walsh stated, “We have been at the Capitol and the Library of Congress this week as well. It is hard work and long days, but we are proud to support the Constitutional process.”
|
|
Jefferson County Sheriff Presents Lifesaving Awards |
|
In the Line of Duty — (l to r) Sgt. Ed Coseo, Deputies Nick Curtiss and Christian Hughes, Sheriff Colleen O'Neill, and Undersheriff Brian McDermott pose during an award presentation by Sheriff O’Neill to Deputy Curtiss and Deputy Hughes, who, along with two New York State Troopers, were instrumental in the dangerous rescue of an unconscious man from a hotel-room fire.
|
|
2020 was Deadliest Year for Law Enforcement Officers in Decades
|
|
Fatalities Increased 96% over Previous Year |
|
The number of law enforcement professionals nationwide who died in the line of duty in 2020 increased nearly one-hundred percent over the previous year, according to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund.
The organization’s preliminary report shows that 264 federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial officers died in the line of duty over the past year, representing a 96% increase over the 135 officers who died in the line of duty in 2019. Texas had the highest number of officer deaths with 48, followed by New York State with 19.
COVID-19 was the number-one leading cause for line-of-duty deaths, at 145 officers who contracted the virus while in the line of duty. Eight of those COVID deaths were in New York, with all eight being New York City Police Officers who died between March 28 and June 6, 2020, when little was known about the mechanisms of transmission, and means of protection from the disease.
|
|
Mask Distribution Continues |
|
Safety First and Always — NYSSA’s Law Enforcement Liaison to the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee, Anthony D’Agostino (rignt), distributed items to the Oneida County Sheriff’s Office during a recent visit. Oneida County Sheriff Robert Maciol (left), displays a copy of NYSSA’s Slow Moving Vehicle Enforcement Handbook, funded by a GTSC grant, which will be distributed to law enforcement officers throughout the county. Oneida County Undersheriff Joe Lisi (center) displays some of the 600 surgical-style masks donated to the Sheriff’s Office by Ford Motor Company through the GTSC and NYSSA. Posted on the Oneida County Sheriff’s Facebook page was this message: “Thank you to the New York State Sheriffs’ Association and Ford Motor Company for keeping Oneida County Sheriff’s Office members safe!”
|
|
Nominations Sought for NSA Award
|
|
The National Sheriffs’ Association has issued a call for Nominations for its J. Stannard Baker Award for Highway Safety, created to recognize law enforcement officers and others who have made significant contributions to, or outstanding achievements in, highway safety over the course of their career. Former Niagara County Sheriff Jim Voutour was honored with the Award in 2017.
|
|
The NSA’s Virtual Meeting and Supplier Showcase will take place March 8 – 12 at a computer or cell phone near you. The four-day agenda includes time for committee meetings, seminars and a plenary session that closes the event. The Supplier Showcase will offer a line of products and services that can benefit your Office. Register now!
|
|
Retired Cortland County Sheriff Duane Whiteman (1931 – 2021) |
|
Duane “Dee” Whiteman passed away on January 12, 2021 at the age of 89. In 1956, after service in the Air Force during the Korean War, Dee became a Cortland County Sheriff's Deputy, serving 11 years until becoming Undersheriff to then-Sheriff Ken McEvoy from 1967-1978. He was elected Cortland County Sheriff in 1978 and served as Sheriff for 21 years, retiring in 1999.
Sheriff Whiteman was responsible for many important programs being instituted under his leadership, including Operation Call-In, a county-wide drug task force, Stop DWI, D.A.R.E. and the department’s K-9 unit. He was also instrumental in a new jail being built in 1990. For his many years of service to Cortland County citizens, he was named Lawman of the Year in 1999.
|
|
Former Oswego County Sheriff Ray Miller (1933 – 2021) |
|
Sheriff Miller’s law enforcement career encompassed 22 years with the New York State Police (1955 - 1977), six years serving the people of Oswego County as Sheriff (1978 - 1983) and 16 years in Nuclear Security as a training supervisor at the Nine Mile Nuclear Power Station.
|
|
Retired Rockland County Chief of Patrol Harry Stewart (1943 – 2021) |
|
In April 1966, at age 23, Harry Stewart accepted an appointment with the Rockland County Sheriff’s Office, becoming one of the original ten members of the Office. During a long career with the agency, he rose to the rank of Chief of Patrol. Under his leadership, the Rockland County Sheriff’s Police Division earned accreditation and became a thriving and integral part of public safety in Rockland County.
|
|
Retired Genesee County Chief Deputy James Orr (1945 – 2021) |
|
Jim began his career with Genesse County as a Deputy Sheriff and rose steadily through the ranks to become Chief Deputy, the highest non-elected rank in the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office. He retired from that position in 1993. Jim was one of the first recipients of the Carl Draxler Award, an honor given annually by the New York State Sheriffs’ Institute, recognizing a Sheriffs’ Office employee for a career of excellence in the performance of his or her duties.
During his time with the Sheriff’s Office, Jim availed himself of extensive training in the reconstruction of motor vehicle accidents, becoming an early expert in the field. Many Western New York law enforcement members received their accident reconstruction training from Chief deputy Orr.
|
|
NYSSA Liaison to the GTSA Charles Rutherford (1947 – 2021) |
|
Charley had long-time connections with the Sheriffs’ Association. He worked in DCJS’s former Bureau for Municipal Police, specializing in police training. He left State service and operated his own training organization, doing many programs for Sheriffs and their staffs through NYSSA. Eventually, he joined NYSSA as liaison to the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee, and presented on traffic safety at every conference for many years. He was a great trainer, possessed of a wry and dry humor. We extend our condolences to Charley’s family.
|
|
Ulster County Correction Officer Joseph A. Martini (1976 – 2021) |
|
Ulster County Sheriff Juan Figueroa recently announced the death of Correction Officer Joseph Martini due to complications from COVID-19. Officer Martini was a 22-year member of the Corrections Division of the Ulster County Sheriff's Office.
|
|
Memorable Visitors to Sheriffs’ Offices |
|
Look who finally made it to our Niagara County new-hire photo spot. I don’t have any openings right now. However we did strike a deal to get mittens for the entire Sheriff’s Office. I know our crew is excited about sporting these!
— Sheriff Michael Filicetti
|
|
I had the pleasure of meeting Dawson Kreydatus yesterday to swear him in as a Junior Deputy and present him with his badge. He was already in uniform and ready to report for duty!
— Sheriff Brian Schenck
|
|
New York State Sheriffs' Association | 518-434-9091 | www.nysheriffs.org |
|
|
|
|
|
|
