Genesee County Sheriff's Office (New York)
The Genesse County Sheriff's Office is the major local law enforcement agency in Genesee County, New York.[1][2] It is one of the busiest law enforcement agencies in western New York State, responding to more "index crimes" than any other agency in the area, 641 in 2007 alone.[3]
Genesee County Sheriff's Office | |
---|---|
Abbreviation | GCSO |
Jurisdictional structure | |
Operations jurisdiction | Genesee, New York, USA |
Map of Genesee County Sheriff's Office's jurisdiction. | |
Size | 495 square miles (1,280 km2) |
Population | 60,370 (2000) |
General nature | |
Operational structure | |
Headquarters | Batavia, New York |
Correction Officer Deputy Sheriffs | 25 39 |
Civilians | 19 |
Agency executive |
|
Website | |
Official website |
Responsibilities
It is responsible for services such as: Law Enforcement, Emergency Communications, Civil Processes, Corrections, Community Services/Victim Assistance and Animal Control in the Genesse County Area.[2] The Sheriff's Office also has an Investigation and Road Patrol Division.[2]
Like most other states, sheriffs and deputy sheriffs in the State of New York are regular law-enforcement officers,[4] with full police powers and duties such as patrol work, prisoner transport, civil process, and court security.[5]
In most counties in N.Y., the Undersheriff is the Warden of the county jail.[6] In Genesee County, the sheriff has ultimate authority to operate the 80-bed county jail, built in 1985.[7] In this county, rather than an undersheriff, it is managed by a "jail superintendent" with 27 other employees and managers.[7]
The sheriff's office is also involved in pre-trial and post-release supervision.[8]
Elections and organization
Sheriffs in New York State (outside of New York City, Nassau and Westchester Counties) are elected for three or four-year terms, depending on the vote of the county government, specifically the county legislature.[9] This office is unusual in NY state in that a superintendent, rather than a titular undersheriff, runs the jail.[7]
The current sheriff is Gary T. Maha and the undersheriff is William A. Sheron, Jr.[1][2]
History
In 1895, a constable working for this sheriff's office was slain in the line of duty, the only known fatal casualty.[10] He was William Harvey Johnson, then 44 years old, was shot by a person he was serving with an arrest warrant; the suspect then committed suicide.[11]
The current Genesee County Jail was built in 1985.[7]
In June 2008, the office investigated a notorious arson-murder in Batavia.[12]
See also
- List of law enforcement agencies in New York
References
- USA cops web site. Last accessed July 3, 2008.
- Genesee County, New York Sheriff's Office main web page. Accessed June 26, 2008.
- See NY Division of Criminal Justice Services official web site Index Crimes Reported: 2003 - 2007. Accessed June 26, 2008.
- New York State Sheriffs' Association Website
- For a detailed list of the duties and rights of Sheriff in N.Y., see N.Y. County Law, article 17, sections 650-662, found online at NYPublicLaw, type in CNT, then Article 17.
- See N.Y. County Law, article 17, sections 652, found online at NYPublicLaw, type in CNT, then Article 17, and finally click on 652.
- "County Law, Article 17, Section 650, acknowledges the Sheriff as an Officer of the Court; Correction Law, Article 20, Section 500C, designates the Sheriff as custodian of the County Jail," from Genesee County government web site Jail page. Accessed June 26, 2008.
- NY State Division of Probation and Correctional Alternatives. Accessed June 26, 2008.
- N.Y. Constitution, Article 13, section 13. See "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2006-02-06. Retrieved 2006-01-25.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) (pdf) at p. 41; see also "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2008-03-17. Retrieved 2008-08-25.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) (html).
- The Officer Down Memorial Page. Accessed June 26, 2008.
- The Officer Down Memorial Page on William Harvey Johnson. Accessed June 26, 2008.
- "UPDATE: Cause of fatal Genesee County fire determined" Updated: June 1, 2008 at WITV News report. Accessed June 26, 2008.