Onondaga County Deputy Sheriff, Syracuse Police Officer Killed in the Line of Duty |
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Honoring their Brothers – Lined up outside the SUNY Upstate University Hospital in Syracuse, law enforcement officers stand in salute to honor slain Syracuse Police Officer Michael Jensen and Onondaga County Sheriff’s Deputy Lt. Michael Hoosock as their bodies were moved to the Medical Examiner’s Office from the Emergency Room.
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A Syracuse Police Officer and an Onondaga County Sheriff were ambushed and killed the evening of April 14.
Onondaga County Sheriff’s Deputy, Lt. Michael Hoosock, a 17-year veteran on the force, and Syracuse Police Officer Michael Jensen were killed by gunfire in a residential neighborhood of Liverpool.
Officer Jensen had served on the Syracuse Police Force for less than three years and earned an Officer of the Month award in December. Lt. Hoosock was one of two Deputies named Deputy of the Year by the New York State Sheriffs’ Association in 2012. He was further commended and recognized with a Medal of Valor in 2020 by his Sheriff’s Office. He was also a 16-year member of the Moyers Corners Fire Department.
Their passing marks the first line-of-duty deaths of a Syracuse police officer in 34 years and the first death of an Onondaga County Sheriff’s Deputy in 21 years.
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Onondaga County Sheriff Toby Shelley (pictured) called Lt. Hoosock a “seasoned” law enforcement officer who was “very well-liked in his community and just a great guy.”
The Sheriff’s Office issued the following statement shortly after the incident on its Facebook page: “Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the two law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty, as well as with their brothers and sisters in law enforcement who are suffering in the wake of this tragedy. We thank the community for their outpouring of support.”
Lt. Hoosock’s funeral mass will be held on Monday, April 22 at 11 a.m. at the New York State Fairgrounds Exposition Center.
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NYSSA President Craig DuMond at the Southern Border |
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On Alert – Delaware County Sheriff and NYSSA President Craig DuMond (pictured) at the border wall on a recent visit. The Sheriff will provide details of his trip at the Association’s Summer Meeting in July.
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New York State Sheriff's Association President and Delaware County Sheriff Craig DuMond received an invitation from both the Texas Border Sheriffs' Association and the Southwestern Border Sheriffs' Coalition to participate in their recent conference and explore the border in the El Paso, Texas area. During his visit, Sheriff DuMond embarked on tours of two border crossings, one in Texas and another in New Mexico, and attended a conference that shed light on the challenges faced not only by the Sheriffs of these regions but also by their partners at federal, state, and local levels.
Sheriff DuMond attended a comprehensive briefing by the U.S. Border Patrol's senior leadership, gaining firsthand knowledge about the migrant surge impacting the nation.
"I am grateful for the opportunity afforded to me to visit our southern border and gain a perspective one can only receive by witnessing the situation firsthand and speaking to members of the community as well as to the boots on the ground dealing with this crisis,” said Sheriff DuMond after his visit. He will present his findings during a detailed presentation at NYSSA’s Summer Training Conference in Verona, NY this July.
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Madison County Sheriff Speaks Out on Bail Reform |
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Madison County Sheriff Todd Hood (pictured) visited NYSSA headquarters in Albany recently, then joined a press conference at the State Capitol where he provided remarks on the need to enact changes to the current Bail Reform Law.
“It’s time we get back to taking care of the victims of crime,” observed Sheriff Hood. “That’s what we have to get back to.”
The press conference was convened by members of the Republican minority from the New York State Assembly as a result of the shooting death of NYPD Officer Jonathan Diller in Queens by a man with 21 prior arrests. Sheriff Hood was invited to attend and speak about the necessity for further bail reform.
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More Sheriffs Visit the State Capitol |
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Below is a post from the Facebook page of New York State Senator Peter Oberacker:
“I had a great meeting in Albany with leaders from the New York State Sheriffs' Association, including Association President and Delaware County Sheriff Craig DuMond (far right), and Vice Presidents Ulster County Sheriff Juan Figueroa (far left) and Madison County Sheriff Todd Hood (second from left). I am so proud that two are from counties in the 51st Senate District and one that is right next door.”
The post continues: “Our law enforcement officers play a crucial role in keeping the public safe while performing an incredibly dangerous job. When laws and policies are developed in Albany, it is crucial that we consult with those who are on patrol — too many times that seems to be forgotten, like in the case of bail reform.”
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Broome County Sheriff Urges New Tool Against Opioid Epidemic |
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Broome County Sheriff Fred Akshar (pictured) wrote to New York State Governor Kathy Hochul in February. His lead sentence:
“I am writing to you today from the front lines of the fight against the opioid epidemic.”
Sheriff Akshar is urging the State to add a new FDA-approved “fentanyl fighter” to the arsenal of tools that can fight overdoses. The Sheriff believes that Opvee — the common name for nalmefene hydrocholoride — may, according to anecdotal evidence, work better than Narcan to revive patients who have overdosed on fentanyl.
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Chenango County Sheriff's Office Turns 226 |
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Strong Public Service since 1798 – Chenango County Sheriff Ernest Cutting (far right) and Undersheriff Dustin Smietana (second from right) celebrate the Office's 226th birthday with award recipients commended for their contributions to the Sheriff’s Office.
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The Chenango County Sheriff’s Office held an awards ceremony in conjunction with celebrating 226 years of service to its citizens. Chief among the awards was one named for former Sheriff Joseph Benenati.
“Sheriff Joe Benenati was really an icon in public safety,” noted Sheriff Cutting. “He was truly a remarkable man. He had done so much for the Sheriff’s Office over the years, and some of that stuff was really immeasurable. The Benenati Award is probably the most prestigious award that we give out, and sometimes we don’t even give the award out,” said Cutting.
This year, however, the Benenati Award was presented to Sheriff’s Office Administrator Kim Smith.
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The Great New York State Eclipse |
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It took months – if not years – of planning, but the solar eclipse on April 8 drew people together to celebrate a celestial event that just doesn’t happen every day. Law enforcement and first responder personnel were on hand to assist as needed.
“We prepared for a large attendance and this was a really good experience for all our agencies to work together to plan for a major event and to test our communication capabilities,” said Niagara County Sheriff Michael Filicetti. “I think everything went very well; there were a lot of moving pieces and everything worked seamlessly. If we had larger numbers, we would have been prepared.”
Below are some scenes captured by Sheriff’s Offices that were posted to their Facebook pages.
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Totally Total — Cattaraugus County |
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Heavens Above! — Gazers in Cayuga County |
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Blackout — K-9 Dexter blends in with his cruiser in Delaware County. Can you spot him?
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Safely Sunspotting — Essex County
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Mission Control — Jefferson County Sheriff Pete Barnett (pictured, right) and Undersheriff Kristopher Spencer at the Emergency Operations Center in Watertown.
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Night and Day at the Wyoming County Sheriff’s Office — “We added extra patrols for today’s eclipse, to help travelers within the County and those traveling through. This was the view while monitoring traffic during the brief minutes of totality.”
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Dutchess County Sheriff's Office Opens New Facility |
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Dutchess County Sheriff Kirk Imperati (pictured) announced the official opening of the Dutchess County Justice and Transition Center (DCJTC) with the transfer in March of current incarcerated individuals from the Dutchess County Jail into the new facility.
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“This new facility enhances the safety and dignity of both those who are incarcerated and our correctional team who work here,” noted Sheriff Imperati. “It is the result of the hard work of many people coming together to address long-standing problems. I am grateful to my predecessor Sheriff Adrian ‘Butch’ Anderson . . . for making the Dutchess County Justice and Transition Center a reality.” |
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The 161,987-square-foot facility features a larger state-of the-art medical infirmary including a women’s medical unit with enhanced medical and mental health services; expansive classroom and programming areas; professional, industrial kitchen and laundry; and improved staff areas. |
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The New York State Sheriffs’ Association offers this training opportunity for administrative assistants and confidential secretaries to better serve their Sheriffs. It will be held at the Embassy Suites hotel in Saratoga Springs.
Program topics include the responsibilities and challenges of the administrative assistant professional, de-escalation techniques, social media savvy for law enforcement and overviews of NYSSA programs and services. Click the link above to register and join the 25 other professionals who plan to attend.
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Greene County Jail Receives Accreditation |
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A First . . . and Not the Last — Sheriff Peter J. Kusminsky recently announced the accreditation of the Greene County Sheriff’s Office Jail Division for the first time in its history, successfully meeting all the standards and individual components set by NYSSA’s Accreditation Committee. The accreditation was recognized in a presentation by NYSSA President and Delaware County Sheriff Craig DuMond at a meeting of the County Legislature. Pictured above, left to right, are NYSSA Executive Director Peter Kehoe, Greene County Sheriff's Office Superintendent Michael Overbaugh, Sheriff Kusminsky, Sheriff DuMond, Greene County Undersheriff Adam Brainard, Lieutenant Daniel Rubino and Corrections Officer Alan Scully.
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From the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page:
March 12
“A Genesee County Sheriff’s Office red and white patrol car has been placed at the front entrance of the Sheriff’s Office in Batavia, in honor of Sergeant Thomas Sanfratello [killed in the line of duty on March 10]. Community members are invited to leave tributes in recognition of Sanfratello’s commitment to serving our county and department.”
March 16
“The love this community has for Sgt. Sanfratello is extraordinary! Take a look at how this tribute has grown in just a few days! Thank you to everyone who stopped and dropped off flowers, gifts, etc. or paused to say a prayer. We appreciate you!”
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