Sheriffs Launch National Safe Boating Week |
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Boater Be Safe — Albany County Sheriff Craig Apple (left) and Greene County Sheriff Peter Kusminsky at the May 25 media event to promote boater safety.
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On May 25, the New York State Sheriffs’ Association hosted a media event in Albany to raise awareness of National Safe Boating Week (May 21 - 27, 2022) in collaboration with the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, the Mohawk – Hudson Council of Yacht Clubs and the NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation.
And other Sheriffs’ Offices throughout the state also held their own events to emphasize the importance of boater safety during the summer season and show support for the WEAR IT campaign – promoting the value of voluntary and consistent wearing of life jackets by recreational boaters.
“This time of the year, we all encourage you to go out and have a good time on the river,” noted Greene County Sheriff Peter Kusminsky, who attended the Albany event. “However, we need you to keep in mind the safety rules and wear your life preservers.”
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Ready for Action (but Hopefully Not Needed) — The Ulster County Sheriff’s Office motored up the Hudson River to the Albany media event
in its recently commissioned 36-foot-long Munson patrol boat, Liberty (pictured), purchased via a United States Coast Guard port security grant.
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Elsewhere throughout the state, other Sheriffs’ Offices promoted boater safety within their own jurisdictions or partnering with other Sheriffs. Click the links below for a sample of activities
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New Lost Pet Registry at the Suffolk County Sheriff's Office |
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Suffolk County Sheriff Errol Toulon, Jr. (pictured) has introduced a new database to help local pet parents quickly locate missing animals.
The Lost Pet Network will enroll pets into a database and provide owners with a printed pet identification card. If an enrolled pet goes missing, the Suffolk County Sheriff's Office will send an alert with the pet's information to Deputy Sheriffs and local municipalities. Information about the lost pet will also be shared on social media accounts to aid in the animal's return.
"[R]ight now there is nothing in Suffolk County to really assist pets that are lost," noted Sheriff Toulon. "As Suffolk County Sheriff, my priority is keeping residents safe, and that extends to the four-legged members of our communities. I look forward to embarking on this new program that will hopefully return more dogs and cats back to their loving families."
According to American Humane, approximately 10 million pets are lost every year in the United States, and only 15% of the missing dogs and 2% of the missing cats that end up in shelters without ID tags or microchips reunite with their owners.
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Mourned and Remembered — Retired K9 Haso of the Erie County Sheriff’s Office (pictured) was found dead from suspicious causes.
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Earlier this year, a retired eight-year-old German shepherd from the Erie County K9 unit went missing outside retired Sheriff’s Deputy Ricky Lunbderg’s home in West Valley, Cattaraugus County. A detective for the Cattaraugus County Sheriff’s Office found Haso’s body about a half mile from Lundberg’s home and suspects the dog was deliberately killed. Details of the canine's death are under investigation.
Lundberg and Haso worked together for four years in the Erie County Sheriff’s Office.
Haso was specialized in detecting scents, including narcotics, but also found at least eight people who were wanted or missing, leading to several arrests or bringing people in mental health crises to safety.
Lundberg and Haso retired from the K9 unit in 2020 and moved to Cattaraugus County where Haso could enjoy retirement surrounded by acres of woods.
“Everyone that he touched, and all the lives that he saved, that’s [how] I want people to remember him,” said Lundberg.
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Niagara County Sheriff's Office Presented with Axon Award |
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The Niagara County Sheriff's Office has been selected as the winner of the 2022 Axon RISE Agency Award.
The Axon RISE Agency Award nationally recognizes a law enforcement entity that develops programs and resources to enhance the communities they serve.
Several of the programs highlighted by the Niagara County Sheriff’s Office include its Building Bridges outreach to community youth; Explorer’s Program for young adults interested in law enforcement; Pawsitive for Heroes Program, where inmates train dogs for veterans (this program was profiled in the last File 25); and the 9/11 stair climb, joining forces with local fire companies to honor and commemorate first responders who climbed the World Trade Center Towers on September 11 in full gear. Participants in this event climb the stairs of Niagara Gorge, with all proceeds donated to the Tunnel to Towers Foundation.
Finalists for the award – which also included the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office – were selected from over 115 nominees throughout the country. Local residents were encouraged to vote for their favorite agency during a three-week period, with the final winner selected by a panel of judges.
“Thank you to our community for taking the time to vote and showing your support of the Niagara County Sheriff's Office,” noted Sheriff Michael Filicetti.
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Husband and Wife at Wayne County Sheriff’s Office on the Move |
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A married couple, employees of the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office with more than 45 years of combined professional experience, are transitioning to new roles.
Lieutenant Matt Ryndock recently retired after 25 years with the Sheriff's Office, serving as Road Patrol Deputy, Sergeant, Field Training Officer and Coordinator, Dive Team Supervisor, Snowmobile Patrol, Emergency Response Team Member and Commander, and Civil Lieutenant – to name just a few of his roles.
His wife, Tammy Ryndock was recently sworn in as the first female Undersheriff of Wayne County. Having served the Sheriff’s Office for 22 years, she was promoted to criminal investigator in 2015 where her early work was in welfare fraud, but later specialized in child-abuse investigations. In 2020 she was sworn in as a Deputy U.S. Marshal and assigned to a regional FBI child exploration / human trafficking task force. As Undersheriff, she will handle the administrative and finance responsibilities of the Office.
Congratulations to the Ryndock Family!
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Another Dynamic Duo — Lt. Matt Ryndock and Undersheriff Tammy Ryndock (above and below) in formal and more informal poses. |
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Oneida County Offers Transition from Soldiers to Deputy Sheriffs |
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Be All You Can Be in Law Enforcement — Oneida County Sheriff Robert Maciol (standing in photo) visited the U.S. Army Base at Fort Drum and spoke with 75 soldiers of the 10th Mountain Division during the Base’s Transition Assistance Program, which is part of its Law Enforcement Career Day.
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The Oneida County Sheriff’s Office has partnered with the Department of Defense to offer a special internship for active-duty soldiers. The SkillsBridge Program matches civilian opportunities to service members’ job training and work experience at the end of their military duty. The program runs 60 to 90 days and is available to soldiers before their active duty is over.
Sgt. Carey Phair of the Oneida County Sheriff’s Office says it’s a win-win situation.
“We’re helping ourselves out but we’re also helping out the veterans of our country,” Phair said. “Having people that have had high-stress situations in their life, transitioning in here, knowing that there’s structure, and knowing that there’s stress makes it sort of easier.”
Oneida County Sheriff Robert Maciol hopes to see the program expand to other military installations. “We’ll be better positioned in service to the community and enlist officers who already have extensive background in protecting the public.”
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Former Jefferson County Sheriff John Burns |
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Former Jefferson County Sheriff John Burns (pictured) died at his home June 2 of apparent natural causes. He was 62.
Sheriff Colleen O’Neill noted her predecessor’s passing.
“Our hearts and prayers are with John’s family and those who worked with and for him. He was a community-minded public servant who dedicated a career to protecting and serving the residents of Jefferson County.”
Sheriff Burns began his career of public service in February of 1983. Among other assignments, he was promoted to Detective and served on the Metro-Jefferson Narcotics Task Force. He was elected Sheriff in 2002 and led the Sheriff’s Office for 12 years before retiring in 2014.
He was born and raised in a family with a history of public service. Sheriff Burns’ father, Karl, was mayor of Watertown in the 1970s and early 1980s.
Calling hours will be held at Cummings Funeral Service, Inc., Watertown on Thursday, June 9, from 3:00 to 7:00 p.m. The funeral mass will be celebrated on Friday, June 10, 11:00 a.m. at St. Patrick’s Church followed by burial in Glenwood Cemetery. Online condolences to John’s family may be posted at www.cummingsfuneral.com.
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Chemung County Accredited for Public Safety Answering Points |
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Recognized for Excellence —
(l - r) Chemung County Executive Chris Moss, Chemung County Sheriff Bill Schrom, Director of Chemung County 911 Douglas Houper and NYSSA Executive Director Peter Kehoe gather at an accreditation ceremony for the County 911 Center / Public Safety Answering Points.
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Chemung County Sheriff Bill Schrom joined County Executive Chris Moss at a May ceremony recognizing accreditation of the Chemung County 911 Center, which is operated under the County Executive’s Office.
Association Executive Director Peter Kehoe complimented Douglas Houper, Director of Chemung County 911, on his agency having received an excellent report from the independent assessors who reviewed the 911 Center’s operations for accreditation. Also recognized, for her work in guiding the accreditation process, was Administrative Assistant Penny Arnold.
Most Sheriffs will remember that County Executive Moss previously served as Sheriff of Chemung County, when Sheriff Schrom served as the Undersheriff. And our more-senior Sheriffs will recognize the name Houper, because Doug’s late father, Charley Houper, was the long-time Sheriff of Chemung County, who served a term as President of the New York State Sheriffs’ Association. Doug retired from the Sheriff’s Office as a Captain of the Road Patrol, prior to assuming the position of Director of 911 for the County.
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Wayne County Corrections Division Receives Reaccreditation |
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Sheriff Robert Milby (at left in photo) and the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office were honored before the Wayne County Board of Supervisors for reaccreditation of the Sheriff’s Corrections Division. Sheriff Milby and his Office also maintain accreditation of the Civil Division, the Court Security Division and the Law Enforcement Division.
Sheriffs’ Association Executive Director Peter Kehoe (right) recognized Corrections Administrator Major James Miller and Sgt. Richard Morrison for their diligence in shepherding the Corrections Division through the re-accreditation process.
Seated to the right behind Executive Director Kehoe, is County Administrator Rick House, former Wayne County Undersheriff.
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Upcoming Training Programs from the NYS Sheriffs' Association |
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Registration is now open for NYSSA’s Civil Supervisor Training Conference and the Undersheriff Training Conference — both in Saratoga Springs later this month — and the Association's Annual Summer Training Conference in the Thousand Islands Region next month. Click on the links below for conference and hotel registration.
June 15 – 17 | Embassy Suites Hotel, Saratoga Springs, NY
June 20 – 22 | Embassy Suites Hotel, Saratoga Springs
July 17 – 20 | Thousand Island Harbor Hotel, Clayton, NY
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And below is information from the National Sheriffs' Association on its annual Summer Meeting in Kansas City, MO at the end of the month. The link below is to the conference registration page.
June 27 – 30 | Kansas City, MO
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Class Act — Participants at the 2022 Civil School await the start of the next session of the recent two-week program sponsored each year by the NYS Sheriffs’ Institute.
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Sixty-eight Deputy Sheriffs and civilian staff from Sheriff’s offices around the state attended the New York State Sheriffs' Institute Phase 1 (Basic) and Phase 2 (Advanced) Civil Schools held in Albany, NY. Civil School comprises a two-week-long training program offered annually by the Sheriffs' Institute. The school provides participants with training in the latest advances in civil law enforcement and a forum to discuss current civil law enforcement issues and share best practices.
Thank you to those who attended and supported recent Phase 1 and Phase 2 Civil Schools, the instructors / presenters and also Sheriffs Dave Harder (Broome County), Mike Schiff (Sullivan County), Bill Sheron (Genesee County), Jim Dzurenda (Nassau County), Gene Conway (Onondaga County), Kevin McConville (Putnam County), Lou Falco (Rockland County) and Gary Howard (Tioga County) for allowing their administrators to participate again in these schools.
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A Bear Market for the Columbia County Sheriff's Office |
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Columbia County Sheriff Donald Krapf (right in photo) and Undersheriff Jacqueline Salvatore (left) recently participated in a motorcycle safety program in Kinderhook, NY, where a representative of the East Coast Riders (center) made a donation of teddy bears to the Sheriff’s Office. The bears will be placed in every patrol vehicle as a resource for comforting children and young adults in difficult situations.
The East Coast Riders is a motorcycle club and charitable organization "dedicated to the betterment of the community in Upstate New York."
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