Line-of-Duty Death in Genesee County |
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A Genesee County Sheriff’s Sergeant died in the line of duty on March 10.
Sergeant Thomas A. Sanfratello (pictured), age 54, was posted to a special assignment detail at Batavia Downs when he died during an incident involving two patrons. The 32-year veteran was escorting two people out of the casino early Sunday morning after a verbal confrontation when they allegedly became combative.
According to investigators, Sanfratello was arresting one of the individuals after a struggle when he was then attacked by the second patron, at which point the Sergeant became unresponsive and was soon afterwards pronounced dead.
Sergeant Sanfratello was twice awarded Deputy of the Year by the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office and was presented with several other commendations throughout his career. He was actively involved with the New York State Sheriffs' Association, serving on evaluation teams that reviewed the eligibility of other Sheriff's Offices for accreditation and reaccreditation of their divisions and operations (See "A Recollection," below).
“You know right from the beginning there’s something special about Tommy,” said Genesee County Sheriff William Sheron in a heartfelt tribute during Sgt. Sanfratello's memorial service. “There are individuals who you hire and you just [say], ‘They’re going somewhere,’ and Tommy was one of those.”
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Sergeant Tom Sanfratello — A Recollection |
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By Tom Mitchell, Counsel for the New York State Sheriffs’ Association and who, for many years, worked closely with Sergeant Sanfratello through the Association's Civil School Program.
Sergeant Tom Sanfratello was a great contributor and friend to all of the civil programs of the Sheriffs' Association and Institute.
Tom was a gifted teacher, and taught at our civil schools for over ten years. He instructed on several topics during the schools. His particular ability was to answer questions in a direct, and sometimes amusing, fashion. He certainly had a no-nonsense approach to civil law enforcement, and thought it was his duty to “get the job done.” He did not look for excuses, but instead always sought to enforce the process or order that his office was presented.
Tom had a wealth of practical information on how to serve and enforce civil process, and often shared personal stories with the civil school students about unique and sometimes troubling actions that were required to obtain a successful result for his Sheriff's Office. Tom was steadfastly supported by his Sheriff, Bill Sheron, and by Sheriff Gary Maha before Sheriff Sheron assumed his office. Tom never once told us that he was too busy or unavailable to instruct at our schools, and even traveled with other instructors to New York City for a special school we conducted for that office.
Tom also was a civil accreditation assessor and helped with operational audits of many county civil divisions. We could always count on Tom to help with these programs whenever we needed him. And, Tom was always willing to help other civil division supervisors and staff with particular problems and cases in their offices.
Tom was an avid reader, and a collector of Legos and Matchbox trucks. He was a devoted father and his law enforcement legacy will be carried on by his son, Ian, and other relatives who also serve our communities as members of law enforcement agencies. He loved his job as a police officer and certainly used his personal talents to help others in need.
Through the schools, civil accreditation assessments and civil division operational audits, we can confidently say that Tom had a significant and lasting impact on virtually every Sheriff's Office in the entire State. He taught hundreds of students over the years, and participated in much more than a dozen accreditations and audits. He will always be remembered as a favorite instructor and invaluable help to all civil divisions, and we will miss him greatly. His end of watch came much too soon.
RIP, our friend, Tom Sanfratello.
— Tom Mitchell
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Sheriffs are Guests at State of the Union Address |
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On March 7, Broome County Sheriff Fred Akshar (pictured, left) and Columbia County Sheriff Donald Krapf (right) joined U.S. Congressman Marc Molinaro as his guests at President Joseph Biden's State of the Union Address in Washington, D.C.
“By having Sheriff Akshar and Sheriff Krapf as my guests, I hope to draw attention to the serious public safety challenges our communities face, and underscore the importance of doing more to support our men and women in law enforcement,” said Congressman Molinaro.
“Broome County recognizes the need to work together to build a stronger, safer community and that message rings just as true in our Nation’s capital,” noted Sheriff Akshar.
“It is an honor to attend this monumental event,” observed Sheriff Krapf. “Today’s law enforcement and public safety face concerns never seen before.”
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Law Enforcement on Ice . . . Again |
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The Adirondack Thunder pro hockey team, based in Glens Falls, held their annual Law Enforcement Appreciation Night earlier this month.
The sold-out game included a standing-room-only crowd to honor law enforcement.
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On hand to represent New York Sheriffs, attired in Thunder jerseys and flanked by players from the Thunder and the Maine Mariners hockey teams, were (above, left to right) Warren County Sheriff Jim LaFarr, Saratoga County Sheriff Michael Zurlo, Rensselaer County Sheriff Kyle Bourgault (ready to drop the puck), Albany County Sheriff Craig Apple and Washington County Sheriff Jeffrey Murphy.
The Thunder beat the Mariners in overtime 4 to 3. A good night all around!
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Sheriffs Working for You at the State Capitol |
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Over the past month, groups of Sheriffs and NYSSA staff have made visits to the State Capitol, meeting with various legislators as well as with the Governor’s staff. The topics discussed have included: more state funding for jail medicated-assisted-treatment programs; beneficial changes to the Civil Service Law, enabling Sheriffs to better recruit and retain Deputies and Corrections Officers; and the extension of indemnification coverage to the Office of Sheriff.
As a result of those meetings, Senator Robert Jackson and Assemblywoman Stacey Pheffer-Amato have introduced the Association’s proposal that the Civil Service remove from eligibility lists candidates who have failed the pre-employment psychological test. Additionally, Senator Monica Martinez and Assemblyman Fred Thiele have introduced legislation that would amend the Public Officer’s Law to indemnify the Sheriff from liability incurred for official acts.
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Change Agents – Delaware County Sheriff and NYSSA President Craig DuMond (above left) joined Orange County Sheriff Paul Arteta (right) on a visit to Assemblyman Fred Thiele.
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Making the Rounds – (above left to right) are Cayuga County Sheriff Brian Schenck, Wayne County Sheriff Robert Milby, Cayuga County Undersheriff Stuart Peenstra, Assemblyman Chris Tague and Sheriff DuMond. The same team of Sheriffs also paid a visit to State Senator Pamela Helming (below) for discussion of topics impacting the law enforcement profession.
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Cattaraugus County Sheriff's Office is Reaccredited by DCJS |
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The Cattaraugus County Sheriff’s Office, headed by Sheriff Timothy S. Whitcomb (pictured), has joined a select group of police agencies statewide to receive re-accreditation from the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services.
Sheriff Whitcomb acknowledged the work of Accreditation Manager Ken Rice in successfully guiding the process through to completion.
The Cattaraugus County Sheriff’s Office has maintained accreditation since 2008. Of the 532 law enforcement agencies in New York State, there are currently 174 accredited agencies.
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Books and Bloodhounds — A Distinctive Match |
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From the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office: “Captain Rojas and Deputy Ottley had so much fun reading to Bernabi Elementary Students at the “Bernabi School Reads” event on March 6, 2024. While our bloodhound “Peak” didn’t read a book, he certainly read the room and soaked up a lot of love from students, teachers and staff.”
Their visit coincided with two nationwide recognitions: Read Across America Week (March 2 – 6) and K-9 Veterans Day (March 13) . . . a good pairing and great reasons to celebrate both.
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