C-PASS Holds First CRASH! Course
for SRDs and SROs
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Straighten Up and Drive Right — Dr. John Kwasnoski (standing) trains School Resource Deputies and School Resource Officers on the new CRASH! kits provided by the New York State Sheriffs' Association through a grant from the GTSC. |
As the nation honored its veterans on November 11, the Sheriffs' Association's Committee on Policing and Safeguarding Schools (C-PASS) held a training seminar for 15 school resource officers at NYSSA headquarters in Albany.
The training was delivered by the creator of the program, Dr. John Kwasnowski, and provided detailed information about the CRASH! kit, a tool to help reduce teen driver crashes and foster an interest in law enforcement through multi-disciplinary activities. The Sheriff's Office deputies who attended the training, whether in-person or virtually, were provided CRASH! kits, which will be offered for use in the schools they serve.
The kits were purchased by the NYSSA with funding received from the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee (GTSC). Our Association, through C-PASS, plans to bring CRASH! kits and training to SRDs and SROs across the state.
"The Committee looks forward to expanding the availability of CRASH! kits, and also to providing other training and services for School Resource Deputies and Officers," noted Albany County Chief Deputy Leon Bormann, C-PASS Chairman. "We want to make sure everyone is aware of the SRD / SRO resources available through NYSSA."
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Monroe County Sheriff's Office Recognized by Professional Association |
The Monroe County Sheriff's Office recently was honored to receive the "Friends of Education" award from the School Administrators Association of New York State. The Sheriff's Office was nominated by representatives of the Fairport CSD, Wheatland Chili CSD and Monroe One BOCES.
"I want to thank the hard work of our deputies who continue building relationships with students and staff at our local schools through our SRO program, community relations events and Drug Abuse Resistance Education programs," noted Monroe County Sheriff Todd Baxter.
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New Undersheriff for Niagara County |
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Meet the A-Team — Newly elected Sheriff Filicetti (l), introduces the new Undersheriff of Niagara County, Michael P. Dunn. (We have confirmed there is no truth to the rumor that the Sheriff and Undersheriff are twins, separated at birth.) |
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Niagara County Sheriff Michael J. Filicetti announced the promotion of Chief Deputy Michael P. Dunn to the rank of Undersheriff effective November 29, 2020.
Undersheriff Dunn is a graduate of Rochester Institute of Technology with a Bachelor of Science degree in criminal justice. He was hired at the Sheriff’s Office as a Road Patrol Deputy in March 2001. While attending the Niagara County Law Enforcement Academy, he received the Academic Excellence Award and the Overall Outstanding Recruit Award. Undersheriff Dunn was promoted to Sergeant in 2008 and promoted again to Captain in 2011. Additionally, he served in the Administrative Captain role before being promoted to Chief Deputy in July 2015.
“Undersheriff Dunn will hit the ground running with the experience he has amassed at the Sheriff’s Office," said Sheriff Filicetti, who was recently elected to his first four-year term as County Sheriff, after having served nearly a year as Acting Sheriff. "He has built a thorough working knowledge of the many facets of our agency and I know he will be successful in his new role."
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Fulton County Sheriff Speaks Out Against Governor's Request to Limit Numbers Attending Private Functions |
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In response to Governor Andrew Cuomo’s latest order limiting household gatherings to 10 people over the Thanksgiving holiday, many Sheriffs statewide have spoken out on the issue.
However, no one has been more visible than Fulton County Sheriff Richard Giordino (pictured), a former district attorney and county judge, who posted on the Sheriff's Office Facebook page that he thought the order was unconstitutional, unenforceable and a low priority for his department, declaring that his department would not be enforcing the gathering limits.
“Who and how many people you invite into your home is your business,” Giardino wrote in the message. “We have limited resources and we have to set priorities, so obtaining a search warrant to enter your home to see how many Turkey or Tofu eaters are present is not a priority.”
The message went viral and the Sheriff has since appeared on several national radio and TV news programs, including Laura Ingraham, Bill Hemmer, America’s Newsroom, and Tucker Carlson on Fox News, Tameron Hall on CNN, the Howie Carr Radio Show, Good Morning America on ABC, and Stewart Varney and Lou Dobbs on Fox Business News, as well as Albany-area news stations. Booked for Friday and Saturday are interviews with Glen Beck, Sam Bushman, Good Day New York (City), Watter’s World, Harris Faulkner, Martha McCallum and NJ Blue. On Thanksgiving Eve Sheriff Giardino will be on the nationally syndicated Jim Bohannon show.
Sheriff Giardino has emphasized the risks posed by COVID-19 and urged people to wear masks and distance, but he said ultimately it was up to individuals to decide what was best for them and their families in their own homes during the holidays.
“I think people are mature enough, people are bright and intelligent enough to make their own decisions,” he said.
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Ulster County Sheriff's Office Hosts Hudson Valley Colleagues |
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Riparian Discussions — Hudson Valley sheriffs met with Coast Guard representatives for the latest on Hudson River navigation enforcement. |
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Ulster County Sheriff Juan Figueroa recently hosted a meeting at his office that included representatives of the U.S. Coast Guard and several Sheriffs' Offices.
Greene County Sheriff Pete Kusminsky, Ulster County Undersheriff Eric Benjamin, and supervisory representatives from Ulster, Greene, Dutchess, Rensselaer, Columbia, Albany, Rockland and Westchester counties also participated. Representatives of the State Police and the NYS DHSES also joined the meeting.
Coast Guard supervisors reviewed some common rules regarding navigation enforcement on the Hudson River, grants available to counties, and best practices for all law-enforcement agencies to observe regarding public safety concerns on the river. NYSSA Counsel Tom Mitchell also attended the meeting.
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Essex County Sheriff Released from Jail |
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You may recall from the last File 25 that Essex County Sheriff David Reynolds pledged to serve time in jail to support breast cancer research during the American Cancer Society's annual "Real Men Wear Pink" Campaign. The Sheriff agreed that if his goal to raise $2,500 was exceeded, he would spend 24 hours in his jail.
The Sheriff went well beyond his goal, raising nearly $5,000. So earlier this month the Sheriff donned red-striped prison garb (not pink), and was confined to a cell, as shown in the photo.
Thank you to Sheriff Reynolds for his commitment and dedication to this cause.
Time served for a good cause — Sheriff Reynolds (pictured) in his temporary quarters to raise awareness of the need for improved breast cancer research.
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A Sheriff and His K-9 in Prose |
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A dog's tale — Jefferson County Deputy Sheriff Jeffrey Froelich reads his story to K-9 Abel. |
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Jefferson County Deputy Sheriff Jeffery Froelich has published a children's book chronicling the life of a police service dog.
The book, titled I Am Abel, is named after his K-9. The story is told from the dog’s perspective.
Deputy Sheriff Froelich says the book has a lot of storylines that are relatable to kids.
“They have to go to school, he had to go to school. They have to do homework, he has to do homework. They have to practice their things and he has to practice his things, too, so the kids can really relate to it,” he said.
The book is available on Amazon. Money from the sales will help a non-profit organization called Protecting K-9 Heroes, which helps provide protective vests and first-aid kits to service dogs and their handlers across the country.
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Sheriffs' Civil School Goes Virtual |
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Virtual Course, Real Certificates — Two of the participants in the recent Virtual Civil School proudly display their certificates of completion of the training. Pictured above are Monroe County Deputy Sheriff Andrea Telesca (left) and Monroe County Sheriff’s Office Clerk Alanna Cenzi. |
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The Sheriffs’ Institute’s Annual Civil School for deputy sheriffs and civil division personnel couldn’t go forward as usual in this most unusual of years. Undaunted, Tom Mitchell and a host of volunteer civil deputy sheriff instructors collaborated to put together a virtual training program, which by all accounts was a BIG success. One hundred twenty-five deputies and administrative personnel completed the school — the largest civil class ever, by far. (Past in-person classes averaged 50 or fewer attendees, and were considered large.)
The ability to get this important training without the costs of travel and lodging probably explains the large enrollment. Nassau County alone was able to enroll 24 students, which would probably have been impossible for an in-person class. The first all-virtual civil school was presented over a five-day period, with expert instructors teaching from the Sheriffs’ Association office or from their own agencies, on such topics as Executions, Service of Process, Evictions and Civil Arrest Warrants. Completion of the class by Civil Office staff is a requirement for Civil Office Accreditation under the standards of the New York State Sheriffs’ Association. The instructors and their Sheriffs who allowed them to participate in the training project deserve our thanks and gratitude.
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Recertification for Yates County Civil Division |
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Continuing a Proud Tradition — Yates County Sheriff Ron Spike (far right) recognizes (from l to r) Deputy Sheriff Christopher Hansen, Civil Clerks Lori Brockman and Jean Hubbell-Lenton, and Civil Division Supervisor Lt. Ed Nemitz for their efforts to reaccredit the Civil Division of the Yates County Sheriff's Office.
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The Yates County Sheriffs' Civil Division achieved reaccreditation again this year. Accredited civil offices go through a rigorous reaccreditation process every five years, to assure continued compliance with the standards set forth by the New York State Sheriffs' Association.
Sheriff Ron Spike’s civil division has been accredited since 2010. His office is only one of five in the State to have all divisions accredited: civil division, law enforcement division, jail, 911 center and the court security division.
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A Corrections Cake to Celebrate |
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Recently the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office Corrections Academy proudly introduced the newest graduates of its Fall 2020 Academy to the local law enforcement family.
Due to social distancing, the graduation ceremony was a bit different than usual, but the graduates and their supportive families deserve recognition (and cake) just the same.
Pictured on the cake, Kelsi Nabywaniec, Robert Piper, and Johnna Zimmerman are the newest Corrections Officers at the Jefferson County Jail. Mark Mikesell joins the Lewis County Jail staff, and Cassandra Kimball and Megan Olmstead will hold dual titles of Corrections Officer and Dispatcher for the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office.
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It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like . . . |
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'Tis the Season — Otsego County Sheriffs (above), as well as Delaware County Sheriffs (below) assist in transporting this year's Rockefeller Center Christmas tree. |
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Personnel from the Otsego County Sheriff's Office, the Delaware County Sheriff's Office and the Rockland County Sheriff’s Office were among those joining the New York State Police in escorting the 115-foot-long tractor and trailer that carried this year's Christmas tree bound for Rockefeller Center in Midtown Manhattan.
The Norway Spruce, donated by a family in Oneonta, weighs 11 tons, is 75 feet tall and 45 feet in diameter. Although the tree, now installed above the famous Rockefeller Center ice rink, has received some criticism for its lack of natural beauty, the officers involved in the escort said it was an awesome sight to behold as it traveled along the rural roads of upstate New York. The multi-county journey along a specially mapped-out route began mid-morning November 12 and arrived in New York City on time to be set in place on November 14.
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New York State Sheriffs' Association | 518-434-9091 | www.nysheriffs.org |
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