An Irish blessing to all, a farewell to Nick Snyder
Pictured is Sheriff Allard after swearing in SRO Weldon
Tis a grand and fine day in Steuben County on this, Saint Patrick’s Day. Although we had tree seasons in tree hours last evening, our County is a sure glorious beauty! On this Saint Patrick’s Day, may the road rise to meet you, may the wind be always at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face, the rains fall soft upon your fields, and until we meet again, may God hold you in the palm of his hand.
Our agency reorganization continues, with Sergeant Matt Sorge chosen to be promoted to Lieutenant on April 8th. Matt has run our Civil Division for the past 14 years and is recognized around the state for his professionalism and attention to detail. He has successfully managed the Civil Division Office, Civil Division Accreditation, School Resource Deputy program, Sex Offender Registry, Car Seat Technician program and Bicycle Patrol for our agency. I have every confidence that he is up to the challenge of Patrol Lieutenant. Next up is Patrol Sergeant interviews, and we are fortunate to have many qualified candidates to choose from.
February was a hard month for our neighbors at 911. Deputy Director Nick Snyder left this world as a young man with a bright future. His brothers and sisters at both 911 and the Atlanta Hatch Hose Fire Company will miss him greatly. He was a great public safety partner and the loss of his leadership will be felt in our county.
February brought another busy month for our agency. We swore in a new SRO for the Corning Painted Post District, retired Deputy Michelle Weldon. Sergeant Sorge and Deputy Butler taught another Boater Safety Course. In the Corrections Division, the part time Basic Academy concluded their classroom portion and transitioned to defensive tactics. The full time Basic Academy began on February 24th and have so far completed their initial PT exam along with classroom courses in Ethics in Law Enforcement, Special Needs Inmates, Sexual Misconduct, First Aid/CPR, Legal Issues, Stress Management and Essential Services. They have also begun their daily Defensive Tactics training. There are 5 cadets from Steuben County, Corrections Officers Campbell, Cupp, Derby, Maddux and Pruden. One cadet is from Schuyler County, CO Cook. Sergeants Erskine, Gardiner, Valentine and Waight completed the DCJS Principled Policing Course. Lieutenant Thompson and Sergeant Valentine completed the Fire Safety Inspections for Correctional Facilities course. Major Sutton and Captain Mills completed the Guardian Leadership Course. Deputies Schafer and Henry completed the DCJS Defensive Tactics Instructor Course. Deputy McCoy attended the CPASS School Resource Officer Conference. Deputy Saltsman completed the Property and Evidence Room Manager training.
Captain Mills was interviewed and featured in a case study as an example of efficient jail management and operations using technology. Sheriff Allard attended the National Sheriff’s Association Conference and met with DEA Administrator Terry Cole to discuss trends in narcotics in the Southern Tier. Sheriff Allard issued the NYS Sheriff’s Institute Civil Deputy of the Year Award to Chief Civil Deputy Jesse Genter of the Broome County Sheriff’s Office. Sheriff Allard also delivered the keynote address at the Hornell Lincoln Day Dinner and was interviewed on “Frankly Speaking” and “The Pulse” with Mayor Buckley.
All of our deputies and officers performed in an outstanding fashion, and we received multiple commendations from the public regarding their outstanding performance.
PT Exam in Corrections Basic
We continue to pray for our first responder colleagues and deployed military across the globe, as well as their families. We also pray for the victims of mass casualty events and state sponsored aggression. Thank you for supporting the Steuben County Sheriff’s Office in these challenging times and stay safe!
