Sheriff's Office

When it comes to recalling scenarios of being a dispatcher, Frank Riccobono came up with one immediately: he was on the phone with the mom of a young girl whose heart had stopped.

He talked the distressed mother through a procedure of moving her daughter to the floor and performing heart compressions and mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. It was a nerve-wracking few minutes before the mom cried out. Her daughter was revived.

“The mother was very thankful,” Riccobono said. “I can’t describe the feeling of having that happen, knowing I gave them that.”

While scenes like that are often depicted in TV shows, complete with melodramatic music in the background, they are part of the life of a dispatcher — something that Genesee County Sheriff William Sheron refers to as more than a job, but as a career. And a highly respected and under-credited one at that.

He and Riccobono, a former longtime dispatcher for the city of Batavia and Genesee County and current director of the county’s emergency communications, are hoping to pique the interest of candidates for three full-time dispatcher positions.

The pay has been increased ($22.55 to $28.81 per hour), two part-time positions were merged into a third full-time position to offer benefits and regular hours, the civil service exam fee has been waived, and the exam date has been extended to Jan. 25, all in an effort to get more people to apply.

So why aren’t they?
It’s a phenomenon that’s been occurring over the last couple of years, Sheron said. It’s not exactly novel, as many employers are bemoaning the same complaint as they continuously search for qualified candidates to fill a variety of jobs. And job duties for dispatchers include a certain level of stress, multi-tasking, knowledge, quick-thinking, and decision-making skills, he said. Plus, it’s emergency services, which signals a 24/7, 365 days a year operation of nights, weekends and holidays.

So why should they?

Well, there’s the rush of adrenaline for being in the thick of the action, such as when Riccobono provided directions for CPR to that distraught mom or helping to direct emergency responders to those in need, such as during the recent winter blizzard.

There were hundreds of stranded motorists buried in snow, and dispatchers were their only course of survival, as a link to responders out on the roads searching for them.

“We were able to direct emergency responders to their location,” Riccobono said. “That’s the most rewarding, just knowing I gave them the best chance of survival.”

Not that dispatchers are always in crisis mode. They also get the more mundane calls, such as reports of a minor traffic accident or a missing dog. But with each call, there’s an opportunity to make a difference, Riccobono said. He remembered when he began with the Batavia Police Department.

“My first week, there was a bank robbery, a high-speed pursuit and a SIDS death,” he said. “And I thought, ‘what did I get myself into?’ I’ve had people die on the phone. The good days outweigh the bad days.”

They’re unsung heroes.

That’s how Sheron describes dispatchers, those employees working behind the scenes taking calls from individuals and connecting them to the various multitudes of emergency service providers throughout Genesee County to get them the help they need.

“It’s a stressful job,” Sheron said Thursday. “Once you become acclimated with what’s out there, that stress is offset with a  sense of fulfillment. These are the people that get things moving, they are behind the scenes. There will be a lull, like a routine traffic stop, and in the drop of a dime, it can go from zero to 150, a barn fire or delivering a baby over the phone.”

He gives credit to all emergency service responders, for sure, with differences being those that are on scene and those behind the scenes. When asked who makes for a good dispatcher, Sheron was stymied by a foolproof description. There have been candidates that were perfect on paper, but then when put to the test, they didn’t follow through as their qualities promised. And then those that seemed to be too quiet and unassuming for the position nailed it, he said.

“Sometimes it takes a little longer, and you become comfortable after you’ve been through situations,” he said. “They orchestrate everything that goes on. It’s a very rewarding career, steady employment. They’re the unsung heroes.”

For more information about applying for a dispatcher position, see the related press release.

Top file photo of the Emergency Dispatch Center on Park Road in Batavia, by Howard Owens; and county photos of Frank Riccobono, and William Sheron, above.

The exam deadline has been extended to apply for one of the three open full-time emergency services dispatcher positions, Genesee County Sheriff William Sheron says. That date is now Jan. 25, and Sheron urges anyone with interest to apply for the Civil Service exam.

Hourly salary is from $22.55 to $28.81, and there will be a probationary period of eight to 52 weeks based on performance of duties. Candidates must be legal residents of Genesee, Erie, Livingston, Monroe, Niagara, Orleans or Wyoming County at the time of examination and for at least two months prior to the date of the examination, which is Feb. 25.

It takes about three months from the time of the test for the results to come in, and the top three scores are selected for hire and paid training of 16 weeks before beginning their duties independently on the dispatch floor at the Park Road facility in Batavia. 

Typical work activities include:

• Maintaining a continuous log of all telephone and radio calls sent out or received;
• Recording all fire and emergency equipment in the county, and logging equipment out of service;
• Operating telephone communications equipment and input of data into computer-aided dispatch systems utilizing a typewriter-style computer terminal keyboard;
• Utilizing computerized data-bases (including NYSPIN system) to access and record data and information;
• Acting as a secondary radio dispatcher for other agencies;
• Receiving and answering radio calls for various agencies and transferring calls to appropriate personnel;
• Receiving and relaying intra-county mutual aid calls;
• Receiving and recording in log, location of fire alarms and emergency calls;
• Performing filing, typing, and other clerical duties as needed; and
• Giving instructions to callers and providing emergency medical instruction to callers using standard accepted medical guidelines.

Press Release:

“The timing of this exam could not be better,” stated Genesee County Sheriff William A. Sheron, Jr. “We have all heard about the heroic actions and importance of first responders during the historic Blizzard of 2022. The Genesee County Emergency Services Dispatch Center handled 3,216 calls and 953 distinct calls for service over a two-day span! This was one of the busiest emergency events in the history of Genesee County. Our Emergency Services Dispatchers played a crucial role in meeting the tremendous demands presented throughout the blizzard that undoubtedly saved the lives of numerous individuals.”

Currently, there are three full-time Emergency Services Dispatcher vacancies that the department is looking to fill. In order to be considered for this position, applicants must take the civil service exam, which is only given approximately every two years.

"I highly encourage anyone that has an interest in being an E911 first responder to sign up to take the exam," Sheron said. "An Emergency Services Dispatcher is an extremely rewarding first responder career." 

To read related coverage, click on Seeking a few unsung heroes

If you have any questions about this position, please feel free to contact Frank Riccobono, Director of
Emergency Communications, at 585-345-3000, Ext. 3429. Please click on the recruitment video link
which will provide a glimpse into what this career involves. We look forward to welcoming you to our family.

The deadline to apply to take the open competitive Genesee County civil service exam is Jan. 25. To get an application, stop in or send a stamped, self-addressed  envelope to Genesee County Human Resources, County Building I, 15 Main St., Batavia, NY, 14020, call 344-2550, Ext. 2221 or go HERE. 

To watch a dispatcher in action, click this recruiting video.

Press release:

As a grantee of the New York State Department of Health's Creating Healthy Schools and Communities (CHSC) initiative, the Genesee Valley BOCES (GV BOCES) collaborated with multi-sector stakeholders and the community at large in Pavilion to increase roadway safety and active transportation opportunities for users of all ages and abilities.

A CHSC-funded mobile speed trailer was placed near Pavilion Central School to enhance roadway safety and walkability.  The speed limit in this area is 35 mph.  Since installing the mobile speed trailer, the Genesee County Sheriff's Office has been monitoring and collecting data.

Prior to the speed trailer, speeding was a major issue.  The violations hit over 80 mph at times.  The most recent data shows violations dropping below the 50 mph range.  The average speed in June 2022 was 39 mph, and as of October 2022, the average rate of speed is now 30 mph.  

The Town of Pavilion’s Comprehensive Plan articulated an overall vision for Pavilion, and a means to achieve that vision.  This included efforts for the community to gather, celebrate and work together towards common goals, such as revitalizing Hamlet so it continues to be the useful and attractive heart of the town.  Additionally, the plan focused on developing strategies for keeping the community attractive to current residents and desirable for drawing new residents to the community.

Road safety and efficiency for users of all ages and abilities are Pavilion’s primary transportation concerns and are connected to enhancing the community.  NYS Route 19, a north-south, 2-lane arterial and NYS Route 63, an east-west, 2 to 3-lane arterial, intersect in the Hamlet of Pavilion.  Both state routes experience considerable traffic volumes with significant tractor-trailer traffic as these state bypass routes are used to minimize freight travel distance. Safe passing options are limited in the areas just beyond this main intersection, and vehicles often perform illegal and risky maneuvers to circumvent freight traffic.  To compound matters, the elementary and middle/high schools are located a short distance from the intersection. 

In 2021, GV BOCES and the Metropolitan Planning Organization, Genesee Transportation Council, collaborated to facilitate a walkability tour and Pedestrian Environmental Quality Index Assessment with a multi-stakeholder advisory committee consisting of residents, the Town Supervisor, the Superintendent of Schools, the Director of School Transportation, the School Resource Officer, and the New York State Department of Transportation to learn more about roadway safety and walkability near the schools and the Hamlet of Pavilion.  Based on the data collected, an action plan and recommended interventions were developed.  The audit allowed the advisory committee to use multiple data points to identify potential improvements to support roadway safety and promote walkability.  

One data-driven recommendation made by the advisory committee included implementation of speed indicators.  As a result, GV BOCES Creating Healthy Schools and Communities funds supported the purchase of a mobile speed trailer to be deployed at multiple locations near the schools and Hamlet area to improve roadway safety and the quality of the transportation system.  

“Addressing roadway safety issues and enhancing opportunities for pedestrian activity support the vitality and economic development of the Hamlet and the health and wellness of the community.”  Rob LaPoint, Pavilion Town Supervisor

Moving forward, additional opportunities exist for community planning and interventions that increase safe and accessible physical activity to establish a community environment that supports the health and wellness of residents and the economic development of the area.  

“The mobile speed trailer helps to support the moderation of traffic conditions to improve the safety of operations for all roadway users with a particular emphasis on areas near the schools.  The mobile speed trailer has noticeably reduced speeders in front of the school.  While school is not in session, the unit is being used near the fire hall and the little league fields to increase awareness.  It has been a blessing to have the speed trailer added to our community.” Deputy Jeremy McClellan, Genesee County Sheriff’s Office and School Resource officer Pavilion CSD.

Press release:

In anticipation of the forecasted severe blizzard-like conditions, the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office, in conjunction with the Genesee County Highway Department, Emergency Management Services, and the County Manager is issuing a travel advisory for all of Genesee County effective 6 a.m. Friday, Dec. 23, 2022, until further notice. 

Motorists are encouraged to avoid all unnecessary travel due to the expected flash freeze, strong winds, heavy snow and sub-zero wind chill temperatures.  These conditions will undoubtedly create white-out conditions and extremely dangerous travel for all motorists. 

During a travel advisory roads are not closed, however, no unnecessary travel is advised.  A trip which could wait until the advisory is lifted should not be made.  The Genesee County Sheriff's Office does not determine the necessity for any individual to report to work.

Sheriff Sheron encourages residents, “For your safety and the safety of first responders and highway snow removal personnel this holiday weekend, please stay off the roads until conditions improve.”

In talking about Genesee County’s threat assessment and management program, Undersheriff Bradley Mazur often referred to one county over, and how Rochester Threat Advisory Committee, or ROCTAC, will serve as a role model of sorts.

No wonder. All of New York State is watching the Monroe County program, which was announced in June. And Genesee County is nearly ready to jump on board, Mazur said Thursday.

"Governor Hochul passed executive order 18, which required each county to come up with a domestic terrorism prevention plan. So what we did, we put our plan together. And in our response, we believe that to mitigate this type of threat in our community, our best action would be to create a Genesee County Threat Assessment management team, or a TAM team is what they're called," Mazur said. "This is kind of very similar to Monroe County's ROCTAC ... a Rochester threat advisory committee that they developed, I think, last year. So a lot of the counties are kind of going to mimic what they've done. Ours is going to be a threat assessment committee. And this is going to be a diverse team. We have individuals from mental health to GCASA, social services, school administrators, and our SROs. The goal is early intervention to prevent any types of violence."

Similar to Rochester’s Threat Advisory Committee, so too will Genesee County have a cohesive group of representatives from law enforcement, social services, probation, GCASA, emergency management, school administrations, and school resource officers, he said.

A primary goal is “to mitigate any threat to our community,” he said, through early detection and intervention of potential threats of domestic violence, school shootings, workplace assaults, stalkings, and any other similar threats of violence.

This effort takes money, which will come from a related $172,000 state grant previously announced by Gov. Kathy Hochul. After the May shooting in Buffalo that left 10 people dead, Hochul began to charge each county in the state to develop a threat assessment plan, signing an executive order and providing funds to ensure that could happen.

Monroe County had already established its own version of a threat advisory team as a proactive measure to help prevent deadly assaults, so state leaders pointed to that team as an example for other counties to follow.

Although Genesee County is a small, rural area, it is just as susceptible to such violence as is any big city, Mazur said.

“The biggest threat to our community is any type of community radicalization. And I think their ability to use the internet and social media to reach out to anybody anywhere. And that's our focal point right now, is that use of social media and the internet," he said. "They try to push their social or political agenda. And oftentimes, it advocates for the use of violence. And using the internet and social media, I think you could have a vast audience, of which some people may be susceptible to their messaging."

The grant money will go toward training and training-related costs, such as overtime to cover officers while they’re in training. The grant is good for two years, and it does not cover equipment, only “training costs and related items that we need to establish the program,” he said.

“We submitted our plan to the state for approval,” he said. “The Genesee County Legislature reviewed the plan, and we’re going to move forward … we’re hoping to have the training completed in February. This will include all law enforcement in Genesee County."

Given this new initiative, the plan also includes promotion:  “We will be doing an awareness campaign,” he said.

That campaign will be rolled out to the public so that anyone can participate in the program. For example, if a resident reads or hears something that seems like a possible threat to the community — an online discussion about attacking a school, for example — that resident will be more equipped to know where and how to report it, and the threat advisory team would assess the situation to determine how to proceed.

"So people know, obviously, in an emergency situation, they're going to call 911. But we're also going to have another reporting system that may not reach that level yet," he said. "And the management team or the TAM team would then get together and assess it and see if we can intervene and get resources out there at that early stage."

As Monroe County Sheriff Todd Baxter put it: The team is “a holistic group that gets together and analyzes their case, looks at it, and sees how we can mitigate the risk and take someone off that path and stairway to targeted violence.”

More details will be publicized once the county’s plan is officially approved and the training is complete, Mazur said. Squad 9 LLC, which was used by Monroe County, will conduct the training and consulting work.

Squad 9 is led by two veteran Federal Bureau of Investigation experts who provide consultative, training and research services related to threat assessment and management, behavioral intervention, international and domestic terrorism, interview and interrogation, and risk management needs.

Mazur presented the plan to the Legislature this week, and he expects for there to be more public discussion and details to be provided after state approval and completion of training in early 2023.

File Photo of Genesee County Undersheriff Bradley Mazur talking to Genesee County legislators during a meeting at the Old Courthouse in Batavia, by Joanne Beck.

Press release:

Caring about the community’s wellness is the underlying theme of a joint effort of the City of Batavia Police Department and Genesee County Sheriff’s Office to conduct alcohol compliance checks at retail businesses this month.

“Our department continues to partner with prevention educators at Genesee/Orleans Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse to provide this service to ensure that vendors are attentive to properly identifying the age of those purchasing alcohol,” said Assistant Police Chief Chris Camp. “Abuse of alcohol by underage individuals is a cause of accidents and other poor choices for this age group.”

Sheriff’s Chief Deputy Brian Frieday echoed Camp’s sentiments, adding, that “compliance checks demonstrate to vendors and young people, alike, that this community cares about the wellness of its citizens.”

This round of compliance checks – which are funded through a grant from GCASA -- will take place in December, prior to Christmas, and will focus on off-premise establishments only (supermarkets, convenience stores, liquor stores).

“We are planning to check off-premise establishments at this time because our data shows that kids are not drinking in bars or restaurants,” said Shannon Ford, GCASA’s director of Communications & Development and director of Prevention. “We are hoping to not find anyone out of compliance, but will offer Responsible Server Training to anyone who is caught or for those who would like to be proactive.”

Press release:

Genesee County’s Sheriff’s Office and emergency officials would like to remind citizens that with the impending snowstorm predicted to affect our area tomorrow night through the weekend, please be prepared to be home for a couple of days should travel become restrictive.  The safest place to be when road conditions worsen is home.  Make sure you have basic emergency necessities (food and water).  Many times, vehicles become stranded on roadways during a snowstorm, making travel for emergency personnel and other drivers difficult and very dangerous. 

“Please remember that even if it is not snowing where you are, the destination you are traveling to may have poor visibility and heavy snow accumulation.  The best and safest option for you and your loved ones is to stay home until the snowstorm passes,” stated Sheriff Sheron. 

Press release:

The following phone lines are currently experiencing outages:

• Administrative (585-345-3000)
• Non-emergency Genesee County Dispatch Center (585-343-5000)
• Genesee County Jail (585-343-0838)

THE EMERGENCY 9-1-1 PHONE LINE IS WORKING.  Due to the sporadic nature of the outage, it is highly recommended to use a cell phone if you are experiencing a true emergency. 

Until the issue is resolved, other alternatives for non-emergency/administrative communication include e-mail to 911.Center@co.genesee.ny.us, Sheriff.Dept@co.genesee.ny.us.

We apologize for any inconvenience and hope that this issue is resolved shortly.

Press release:

Sheriff William A. Sheron, Jr. is excited to announce that the Genesee County Legislature passed and adopted Local Law 4, which creates an expansion to the residency requirement of Correction Officers for the County of Genesee.

In order to provide an adequate pool of qualified applicants for the upcoming Civil Service Exam, Correction Officer, O.C. #64-904, effect immediately, applicants are permitted to reside within the County of Genesee or any contiguous county (ie:  Erie, Niagara, Orleans, Monroe, Livingston, or Wyoming).

The deadline to apply to take the exam is November 2, 2022, and the examination date is December 10, 2022.  The civil service examination fee has been waived for the remainder of 2022.  You must take the exam in order to be considered for employment.  To find out more about the job specifications, and minimum requirements, and to view the new promotional video, click on the following link:  Correction Officer Video.

“Genesee County is currently building a new jail, which will allow for the housing of female incarcerated individuals.  As a result, there is a need to hire additional Correction Officers, especially female officers.  Start a law-enforcement career and join our family.  We’d love to have you,” stated Sheriff William A. Sheron, Jr.

Those on the front lines in the battle against the opioid epidemic are unified in their message: Fentanyl is wreaking havoc across the United States, including right here in Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming counties.

“We’re seeing the human toll that fentanyl is having on our communities,” said Investigator Ryan DeLong of the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office, one of four speakers at Tuesday morning’s GOW Opioid Task Force meeting. “Probably everyone in this room has been affected (by substance use) by a family member or friend.”

DeLong and Deputy Ken Quackenbush, both trained as Drug Recognition Experts, spoke on what local law enforcement is dealing with as the scourge of fentanyl – a synthetic, prescription opioid that is 50 times stronger that heroin – has found its way, mostly from Rochester, into the rural counties.

They were joined by Emily Penrose, an epidemiologist with the Genesee County Health Department, who reported data on opioid-related deaths in Genesee and Orleans, and Christen Foley, task force coordinator, who described the basics of fentanyl and the telling signs of an overdose.

About 35 people attended the quarterly meeting at The Recovery Station, operated by Genesee/Orleans Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse, on Clinton Street Road.

DeLong and Quackenbush said that they are encountering scores of people using fentanyl through their road patrols and other drug crackdown initiatives. DeLong noted that the opioid is usually packaged in a wax envelope, about an inch square, but recently, they are finding it mixed with other substances for smoking purposes.

While police used to deal with heroin and other stimulants, Quackenbush said that he has “never seen heroin or seen heroin come back on a toxicology report” in his six years with the sheriff’s office.

“It’s always fentanyl,” he said.

Fentanyl is being distributed in both powder and pill form, with some pills in bright colors to mimic candy, the officers said. DeLong said fentanyl is much cheaper than heroin – a factor leading to its widespread use.  Last year, more than 100,000 Americans died of opioid overdose.

DeLong explained that law enforcement is staying up to date in several ways on the drugs coming into the United States:

• Through regular emails from the federal government on packaging, quantities, forms and trends;
• Through communication among all local and regional police agencies;
• Through pro-active policing such as traffic stops and field testing of seizures (confirmed by lab results);
• Through narcotics trainings at both the “macro and local levels.”

“Every deputy carries and is trained in the administration of Naloxone (popular brand name, Narcan) and we respond to overdose calls for service along with EMS (Emergency Management Services) and fire (personnel),” DeLong said. “We’re also involved in the Public Safety Assisted Addiction and Recovery Initiative, where we link individuals to services through GCASA peer recovery advocates (without criminal implications) and conduct Drug Take-Back programs throughout the year.”

Penrose presented charts that showed a spike in opioid deaths in both Genesee and Orleans counties in 2017 and 2018 – both rates per 100,000 people well above the national average. She said the rate has decreased in the past three years but continues to be cause for concern.

“We’ve seen a big raise in fentanyl-related deaths since 2014, where before that, the overdose deaths mostly stemmed from heroin,” she said. “Additionally, we’ve seen fentanyl in stimulants such as cocaine, methamphetamine, ecstasy and bath salts.”

As far as leading causes of death in the U.S., unintentional injuries – including poisoning from alcohol and drugs – is the leading cause of death in every age group from 1 through 44.

“When you look deeper into unintentional injuries, we see that poisoning is the No. 1 cause for the 25-34, 35-44, 45-54 and 55-64 age groups – and that’s fentanyl,” she stated.

The health department is currently involved in a new initiative, HEALing Genesee, which is working to prevent overdose death through education and awareness, increasing access to Naloxone (which saves the lives of people experiencing an overdose) and safe prescribing practices.

The GOW Opioid Task Force, in conjunction with GCASA, regularly schedules trainings in Naloxone administration, Foley said.

“We encourage as many people as possible to get trained in how to administer Naloxone,” she said, noting that just 2 milligrams of fentanyl is considered a lethal dose in most people. “It’s important to know the signs of an overdose, which including drowsiness or unconsciousness, slow or shallow breathing, choking sounds or skin tone changes.”

For more information about Naloxone training or the task force, contact Foley at 585-815-1863.

Photo: Speakers at the GOW Opioid Task Force meeting on Tuesday are, from left, Christen Foley, Emily Penrose, Deputy Ken Quackenbush and Investigator Ryan DeLong. Photo by Mike Pettinella.

DISCLOSURE: Mike Pettinella is the media specialist at GCASA.

Press release:

Genesee County Sheriff William A. Sheron, Jr. is pleased to announce that the Genesee County Legislature and Elba Central School Board of Education approved the placement of a School Resource Officer for Elba’s district.  Deputy Ryan W. Young was selected to fill this position and started his assignment last month.  Deputy Young is a 6 1/2-year veteran of the Sheriff’s Office and has 10 years of law enforcement experience.  He is a field training officer and has earned four Commendations during his tenure with the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office.

Additionally, there have been other School Resource Officer assignment changes in Genesee County school districts:

• Genesee Valley BOCES selected Deputy Kyle J. Tower for assignment at the beginning of the 2022-2023 school year.  Deputy Tower has been with the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office for over two years and has eight years of previous public safety experience.
• Oakfield-Alabama Central School District selected Deputy Jordan M. Alejandro as its new SRO during last year’s school year.  Deputy Alejandro is a 3 ½-year veteran with the Sheriff’s Office and was awarded a Commendation in 2020.

“There are now seven Genesee County school districts with School Resource Officers.  Deputy Patrick J. Reeves at Pembroke, Deputy Eric J. Meyer at Alexander, Deputy Jeremy M. McClellan at Pavilion, and Deputy Joshua A. Brabon at Byron-Bergen.  It has been my goal to have SROs in each school district to ensure the safety and protection of the students and faculty, and I am very pleased that we have now added Elba Central School District to that list,” stated Sheriff Sheron.

Submitted photos.

Top photo: BOCES SRO/Deputy Kyle Tower.

Elba: (from left to right) Superintendent Gretchen Rosales, Elementary Principal Jessica Cramer, Jr./Sr. High School Principal Morgan Marcello, and Deputy/SRO Ryan Young.

Byron-Bergen:  (from left to right) Director of Instructional Services Betsy Brown, SRO/Deputy Joshua Brabon, Superintendent Pat McGee. Photo Credit: Gretchen Spittler

Alexander:  (from left to right)  Middle School/High School Principal Shannon Whitcombe, Elementary School Principal Erin Weingaertner, SRO/Deputy Eric Meyer, Middle School/High School Asst. Principal Paul Hazard, Superintendent Jake Taft

Pembroke:  (from left to right) Jr./Sr. High School Principal Dr. Nathan Work, SRO/Deputy Patrick Reeves, Superintendent Matthew Calderon, Jr. Sr. High School Vice Principal Brandon Ricci

Oakfield-Alabama:  Superintendent John Fisgus and SRO/Deputy Jordan Alejandro

Pavilion:  Superintendent Mary Kate Hoffman and SRO/Deputy Jeremy McClellan

Press release:

Genesee County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Jacob A. Kipler recently graduated from the 78th Basic Course for Police Officers at the Niagara County Law Enforcement Training Academy held at Niagara County Community College. 

Deputy Kipler is a 2013 graduate of Maryvale High School, Cheektowaga, NY.  Following high school, Deputy Kipler enlisted in the United States Marine Corps from 2013 to 2018 and was awarded several medals, badges and citations.  He was an aviation mechanic and achieved the rank of Sergeant.  After the Marines, Deputy Kipler pursued a college education at the Community College of Vermont and Erie Community College where he earned an Associate’s Degree in Criminal Justice with a 3.6 GPA.   

Sheriff Sheron stated, “Deputy Kipler was hired on March 7, 2022, and is currently participating in our 14-week field training program.  He is performing well, and we look forward to his addition to our road patrol.”

Elba Central School may be the last district in Genesee County to bring a school resource officer on board, but it has been part of a post-pandemic plan for the district, Superintendent Gretchen Rosales says.

With an eye on priorities, Rosales felt this was the right time to add an officer as part of a deliberate process once she became superintendent in 2021. The district’s additional personnel — a social worker, school resource officer and prevention educator — are to not only ensure physical safety, but also that “our mental health needs were being met,” she said.

“All schools have to carefully watch spending, but small rural schools often carry an extra burden.  There are many mandates we need to cover, along with making sure that we have top-notch academic programs and well-rounded extracurricular activities. Elba has steadily built this strong foundation,” Rosales said in response to The Batavian’s questions about hiring a SRO. “When we began to come out on the other side of the pandemic, we first wanted our focus to be on a comprehensive mental health program. COVID really opened our eyes to the unique struggles that our students and their families were facing.  This became my focus in my first year as superintendent, and my first step was to hire a full-time social worker. 

"We have also contracted with GCASA to have a prevention educator on staff on a weekly basis," Rosales said. "Once we had these pieces in place, we were ready to consider moving toward hiring a school resource officer.”

Ally Terranova was hired for the social worker position this year, and she “has already made great strides in supporting the students and families,” Rosales said. Deputy Ryan Young was more recently hired through Genesee County Sheriff’s Office. Adding the extra supports began in late spring of this year, and the process included communicating with the community, teachers, staff, and students as “an important part of determining the need.”

The district sent out bilingual surveys to ensure the “considerable Spanish-speaking population” was included and able to respond. Interested parties were asked to join a related committee and there was “a lot of listening involved, and engaging in rich dialog about what our district really needed,” Rosales said. 

“We took our time with this process because we wanted to make the right decision and hire someone who would best support the Elba community,” she said. “My school community has been incredibly supportive.  I have had a steady stream of communication via phone, email, and in-person by family and community members who have expressed appreciation that the District has a fully dedicated law enforcement officer on staff.  To have a person with their eyes on security and safety is a critical part to ensuring that students can focus on learning.”

“Deputy Young has already fully integrated himself into the school community; he's visited all of the elementary classrooms as well as the secondary social studies classes,” she said. “He has lunch with the students, attends leadership meetings, chaperoned the homecoming dance, and has met the community at games. It is safe to say that our school resource officer is a full-fledged Lancer already.”

Elba now joins Alexander, Batavia, Byron-Bergen, Le Roy, Oakfield-Alabama, Pavilion and Pembroke school districts in having at least one school resource officer at the district. Batavia City Schools added a second officer this year. The positions add about $80,000 to $100,000 in salary and benefits each to a district budget.

Photo of Deputy Ryan Young, Elba's new school resource officer, submitted by Elba Central School.

Press release:

Sheriffs’ Week celebrates the significant contributions made by the Office of Sheriff as an integral part of the criminal justice system in New York State and in Genesee County throughout our history.  Having been established in the State’s first constitution in 1777, and having been continued in every succeeding constitution, it is one of the original constitutional offices of Genesee County first established in 1802.

The Office of Sheriff is currently held by William A. Sheron, Jr.  He was elected Sheriff in 2017 and has worked for the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office for the past 45 years.  Sheriff Sheron is also a member of the Executive Committee for the New York State Sheriffs’ Association.

The Office of Sheriff has evolved into a modern, professionally accredited, full-service law enforcement and public safety agency, manned by fully trained police and peace officers, as well as civilians using state-of-the-art technology and applying the latest and most-advanced theories and practices in the criminal justice field.

The Office of Sheriff is unique in the community, and the duties of the Office go far beyond the traditional role of “Keeper of the Peace,” and extend into many facets of public service, including maintaining the county jail, providing security in our schools, dispatching emergency services, communication systems, animal control, community service and victim assistance, and serving/executing civil process and victim protection orders for our courts.

As a constitutionally empowered Office directly responsible to the people, the ancient Office of Sheriff remains, even today, responsive and accountable to the public it serves.  This week, we celebrate the historical and current contributions of the Office of Sheriff and the significant role that the Sheriff’s Office plays in our modern criminal justice system.

Photo: Submitted photo. Undersheriff Brad Mazer, Legislator Marianne Clattenburg, and Sheriff William Sheron.

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The Genesee County Sheriff's Office Teen Academy Class of 2022 graduated 14 members on Friday afternoon at the Conable Technology Building at Genesee Community College in Batavia. 

Filling in for Sheriff William Sheron who is under the weather,  Chief Deputy Brian Frieday started the ceremony with a moment of silence for a 29-year veteran of the Rochester Police Department, Officer Anthony Mazurkiewicz, who was ambushed by gunfire overnight in the City of Rochester and lost his life in the line of duty.

"This serves as a reminder that, unfortunately, there is danger in police work; not trying to push you away, that is the reality of the job," Frieday told the graduates.

After a pause in 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic, the Teen Academy was moved to GCC and is now being run by Academy Director Deputy Richard Schildwaster. Deputy Matthew Butler started the program as the School Resource Officer at Byron-Bergen High School in 2018, and in 2019 Butler retired.

"Many people and organizations make this work, it's not put together in a week or even a month, this has been worked on for several months," Schildwaster said.

Frieday thanked GCC Associate Professor of Criminal Justice Karen Wicka for helping coordinate and provide the facilities, along with Genesee County Stop DWI for the funding and the county Legislature for supporting the Academy.

Frieday told students he was very thankful they chose to get involved in the criminal justice system.

"Without you guys we wouldn't have this program. You volunteer your time, take time out of your summer. It's nice and sunny out there, who wants to be running in 90-degree heat," he said. "You put forth the time and hard work and you came together as a team. Thank you for participating, it's what makes this a sucess."

Top photo: Celebrating their status as Teen Academy graduates are, from left to right front row: Quinn Woeller, Wendy Lagunas Perez, Kaylee Tundo, Mary Engelhardt, Lea Donofrio, Michael Ehrmentraut, Hannah Spencer and Grace Slocum, and left to right back row: Lukas Volkmar, Christopher Zastrocky, Ian Kepple, Halie Deville, Joey Schnitzer and Michael Covert. Genesee County Legislators Rochelle Stein and Gary Maha, also former county Sheriff, in the front row during a portion of the Teen Academy Friday, and a group of students listen during a related class at GCC. Photos by Alecia Kaus.

 

There are 13 students participating in the third annual week-long Genesee County Sheriff’s Office Teen Academy at Genesee Community College this week. The program was started by Deputy Matthew Butler in 2018 while he was a School Resource Officer at Byron-Bergen High School. Butler retired in 2019, and the academy was cancelled in 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic.

This is the first year the program has been at Genesee Community College, which organizers chose for its central location in Genesee County.

“Byron-Bergen was a great host, but we received feedback that the location was a long haul for some. GCC is a central location, and it is readily available for kids from every school district in Genesee County,” says Deputy/SRO Rich Schildwaster, who is now Lead Deputy of the Teen Academy.

GCC also offers virtual technology, which is new to the program this year.

“We did not have this option a couple of years ago and its one of the things we have been able to add because GCC has a simulator here as part of their criminal justice program,” Schildwaster said.

Students walk into a virtual reality and have a scenario going on in front of them where they interact with people on the screen.

“The scenario can go in different directions. They may be presented with a deadly force encounter, or they may not. They have to make that judgement. It gives them that perspective. Scenarios range from a traffic stop where you walk up to a car and deal with a person to maybe an active shooter situation where you show up in front of the building and people are running out, and you go in and you have to appropriately handle that or try and make decisions like a law enforcement officer would.”

The VirTra Training simulator at GCC has also been used by local law enforcement agencies over the past few years to help prepare law enforcement officers for real-life incidents and different scenarios.

The goal of the Teen Academy is to attract good candidates to the law enforcement field. The academy is run like an actual police academy. Each day begins with physical training like CrossFit, which Deputy Chad Cummings and Investigator Chad Minuto organize.

Students have attended instructional classes on investigations, penal law, traffic stops, defensive tactics and a Stop the Bleed class where students can recognize life-threatening bleeding and intervene effectively.

On the last day of the academy, students will tour the jail, the courthouse, the Sheriff’s Office, dispatch center, view an ERT demonstration and attend communications and jail staff presentations. Students will take a final PT test, final exam, and attend a review followed by an afternoon graduation ceremony.

Schildwaster says his first year organizing the academy has been a great experience and the local community has stepped up to assist.

“We have a great community here, not all of our instructors are from the Sheriff’s Office. Everyone in the community has jumped on this whole-heartedly and embraced us. Everybody’s dedication makes all this come together because everyone believes in it and is excited to do this. It’s a good program for the kids.”

Top photo: Paramedic Wade Schwab talks with students of the Teen Academy Wednesday morning at GCC. Students participate in the Stop the Bleed class; Investigator Joe Loftus teaches Defensive Tactics class on Wednesday afternoon; Investigator Kevin Forsyth also teaches Defensive Tactics class on Wednesday afternoon; Deputy SRO Jeremy McClellan with students on Wednesday morning; and Deputy Morgan Ewert, left, Paramedic Wade Schwab, center, and Deputy Jordan Alejandro, right, with students on Wednesday. Photos by Alecia Kaus.

Press release:

The Genesee County Sheriff’s Office new K9 obstacle course is located at the Genesee County Fire Training Center and is the result of a partnership with the Rochester Area Crime Stoppers.

All labor and materials from design, layout, construction, and completion were donated through a collaboration with local businesses that included several grants. No costs were incurred by taxpayers. We would like to thank the following partners for their hard work and dedication:

• Rochester Area Crime Stoppers, Joyce Palumbo, Board Member and K9 Initiative Chair
• CountryMax Stores, Brad Payne, Director of Sales
• Home Depot. Tim Mullen, Assistant Manager - Batavia Store
• KeyBank, Phil Muscato, Rochester Market President and Regional Commercial Executive, and Mark Krueger, Executive Assistant
• Genesee Valley BOCES Building Trades Program, Jon Sanfratello, Director of Instructional Programs, and Margaret Poray, Executive Principal - Batavia Campus
• Hoselton Auto Mall, Drew Hoselton, President, and Chris Cammarata, Leasing Manager with a special thank you to the Hoselton Auto Welding Team

The course will be utilized by law enforcement agencies for training purposes to simulate obstacles that K9 teams will most likely encounter in the field during

deployments. These obstacles include crawling under porches, jumping through house/building windows, climbing ladders, and walking on unstable surfaces. This training will provide handlers and their K9 partners the confidence to complete these tasks in the field. The course will primarily be used by the Genesee County Sheriff's Office K9 unit as well as other outside law enforcement K9 units upon request and availability.

“We are very fortunate to have a community that continuously supports our K9 program. Thank you to all the individuals that made this course a reality for our Office and other law enforcement agencies to utilize,” stated Undersheriff Bradley Mazur. 

Photos by Alecia Kaus/Video News Service

Press release:

Genesee County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Mason S. Schultz graduated from the 140^th Basic Course for Police Officers at the Erie County Law Enforcement Training Academy on June 3, 2022. 

Deputy Schultz is a 2018 graduate of Akron Central School.  Following high school, Deputy Schultz attended Erie County Community College where he earned an Associate’s Degree in General Studies in 2020.  Deputy Schultz is a second-generation law enforcement officer and was previously employed by the New York State Park Police and the University of Arkansas Police Department.

Deputy Schultz’s strong desire to become a police officer is evident in that he enrolled himself in the Erie County Law Enforcement Academy in 2021, while actively seeking employment during his attendance. 

Sheriff Sheron stated, “Deputy Schultz is currently participating in our 14-week field training program and is a great addition to our road patrol.”

It's been a long time coming and absolutely necessary, today's speakers said at a groundbreaking for the new $70 million, 184-bed Genesee County Jail off West Main Street Road, next to County Building #2.

"Believe it or not, discussions on the replacement of the current jail, the Genesee County Jail, date back over 50 years," Sheriff William Sheron said during the ceremony Thursday. "When I began my career with the Sheriff's Office in 1977, they had plans on the table to build the new jail. There are many reasons that didn't come to fruition, but with persistence by former Sheriff (Gary) Maha and myself, we finally got to today."

The current jail was built in 1902 with additions in 1985.  And while it has met its purpose for more than 120 years, the current jail is no longer adequate to meet the county's needs nor meet the health and safety standards required by the State of New York.

"The lack of housing space, overcrowding, inmate classification limitations, the inability to house females, and the inability to meet the needs of the inmates, incarcerated individuals, are just some of the daily obstacles that our correction officers and leadership face. We must remember that the county jail is a vital component in providing for the safety and security of the residents of Genesee County," Sheron said.

"We are building a modern secure facility," the sheriff said. "It will allow for the ability to expand essential programs that will assist in preparing incarcerated individuals for their re-entry into society. This facility will also allow us to improve mental health, substance abuse programs, and medical services. It will also increase our holding cell capacity to assist other police agencies here in Genesee County. Equally important is that the facility will drastically improve the working conditions for the correction officers and the jail employees that operate this facility 24 hours a day, 365 days a year."

Shelley Stein, chairwoman of the Genesee County Legislature, credited the persistence and work of a number of people in getting the new jail to the groundbreaking stage, including Maha and Sheron, along with former County Manager Jay Gsell, the volunteer transition team, along with all the other county staff involved.

"This site will address the long-planned improvements in the county's responsibility to care for its inmates, provide for good working conditions for our corrections officers and to house our female incarcerated individuals in their home counties," Stein said.

County Manager Matt Landers, whose work on the jail includes the years he was assistant to Gsell, said the Legislature has pursued a methodical and conscientious path to plan and design a responsible and efficient jail that will meet the needs of the community for the next 100 years.

In the wake of bail reform and the pause in construction caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the county took the time to complete a second study on the capacity of a new jail and what was needed in a new facility, Landers said.

"The results were the same as the first, which gave us in the county renewed confidence that we were building the right-sized jail for this community," Landers said. "The fact is one of the responsibilities of county government is to maintain a safe and functional jail. In constructing this new facility, Genesee County is fulfilling its obligations."

Photos by Howard Owens

Sheriff William Sheron

Legislator Shelley Stein

Press release:

Genesee County Sheriff William A. Sheron, Jr. would like to inform the community that there will be an increased presence around schools in the county in light of yesterday's horrific tragedy in Texas. These patrols are in addition to School Resource Officers already in place in nearly all the Genesee County school districts. 

“We are committed to the safety of our children and all that is involved within our educational facilities and will continue the increased patrols for the foreseeable future.  It is of the utmost importance that any concerns of suspicious activity be brought to the attention of school officials or law enforcement authorities as soon as possible,” stated Sheriff Sheron.