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File 25
News of the NYS Sheriffs' Association
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Washington County Sheriff Jeff Murphy recently announced plans to create a “safe transaction zone” designed to help protect citizens from various crimes associated with online transactions including robberies, thefts and assaults. The “safe transaction zone” will be in a marked area of the parking lot at the Law Enforcement Center in Fort Edward. Cameras already cover the entire building and additional high definition cameras will be installed to focus specifically on a marked transaction area. Citizens will be encouraged to use the marked area to conduct transactions that require in-person exchanges of online purchases. Sheriff Murphy suggests that if somebody is not willing to come to the Sheriff’s Office to complete a transaction, it is probably not legitimate. Read more here.
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Jefferson County Sheriff Colleen O'Neill profiled in the "20 Questions" feature in this month's Northern New York Business magazine. In the article, Sheriff O'Neill, the first woman ever elected to a sheriff’s office in New York State history, reflects on her first year in office; her leadership philosophy; what prompted her to run for sheriff; and the challenges she has faced. Asked about joining the ranks of New York's Sheriffs, Sheriff O'Neill said: "I couldn’t have felt more welcome from the Sheriff’s Association, from all the other sheriffs...Some of the sheriffs have been sheriff for 40 years or more and they told me to call [them] any time I needed help, any one of us will help you. I did take them up on that. I couldn’t feel more welcomed." Read more here.
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Sheriffs Represented at Key Meetings
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The NYS Police Officers Memorial Advisory Committee met in Albany this week to prepare for the State’s 2016 memorial service for law enforcement officers who have died in the line of duty, which will be held at the Police Officers’ Memorial on the Empire State Plaza in Albany May 10. The names of two NYPD officers, one State Trooper and a Town of Crawford Police Officer, all of whom died as a result of line-of-duty activity in 2015, were approved for placement on the memorial wall. Furthermore, the death toll from the 2001 attack on the World Trade Center continues to mount, and the names of 17 NYPD officers, one NY State Trooper and one Deputy US Marshal, all of whom succumbed to cancer resulting from service at the World Trade Center site, will be added to the wall this year. Additionally, the “historical submission” of the names of five Game Protectors employed in the predecessor agency to the NYS EnCon Police, who died in the line of duty in years ranging as far back as 1900, were approved for placement on the memorial wall. The Advisory Committee also reviewed and approved plans and drawings for expansion of the memorial wall, which only has room for one or two more years of additions, at the current line-of–duty death rate. The planned expansion, which will probably be built in in two phases beginning after this year’s ceremony, should extend the availability of space on the wall for another 30 years or more. The Police Officer Memorial Advisory committee consists of the DCJS Commissioner, the Commissioner of the NYS Office of General Services, and representatives from six major law enforcement organizations. Executive Director Peter Kehoe represents the Sheriffs’ Association on the Committee.
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The Executive Committee on Counter Terrorism met in Albany last week to continue a review and discussions of the state and national terrorist threat posture and counter terrorism measures being implemented by the NYS Division of Homeland Security and state and local law enforcement agencies. Representing New York's Sheriffs were Genesee County Sheriff Gary Maha, Oswego County Sheriff Moe Todd, Yates County Sheriff Ron Spike, Warren County Sheriff Bud York, Ontario County Sheriff Phil Povero, Rockland County Undersheriff Bob Van Cura, and Association Executive Director Peter Kehoe. Among the speakers at the nearly full-day meeting were representatives of the National Counter Terrorism Center, the Division Of Homeland Security and Emergency Services and the NYS Police Office of Counter Terrorism, along with Intelligence Analysts from the New York City Police Department and the FBI.
Photo (l to r): Sitting: Genesee County Sheriff Gary Maha, Oswego County Sheriff Moe Todd, Ontario County Sheriff Phil Povero; Standing: Yates County Sheriff Ron Spike, Rockland County Undersheriff Bob Van Cura, and Executive Director Peter Kehoe.
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Former Washington County Sheriff Wescott
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Former Washington County Sheriff Martin Wescott died on Thursday March 10th at Glens Falls Hospital at the age of 85.
Marty served as Washington County Sheriff from 1979 to 1991; he was a Lifetime Member of the NYS Sheriffs' Association.
Marty was a state trooper before he retired and ran for Sheriff in 1978. He won office by beating the Republican incumbent sheriff Clyde Cook in a primary that saw Wescott getting the endorsement of many of the Sheriff’s Office’s deputies who had worked with him during his days as a trooper.
The Washington County Sheriff's Office listed on their Facebook page the following members that proudly served under Sheriff Wescott and continue to actively serve with the Sheriff’s Office: Sgt. Chris Worthington, Deputy Keith McMurray, Deputy Don Jett, Deputy Frank McCullen, Deputy Richard Lachapelle and Corrections Officer Ben Hayes.
Marty is survived by his wife of 64 years, Harriet Boulett Wescott as well as their five children, 14 grandchildren, and 15 great grandchildren.
Memorial contributions in memory of Marty can be made to the Salem Rescue Squad, P.O. Box 360, Salem, NY 12865 or the Salem Volunteer Fire Department, P.O. Box 449, Salem, NY 12865.
To offer condolences to the family, please visit www.gariepyfuneralhomes.com.
Photos: Above: Former Washington County Sheriff Marty Wescott.
Below: Sheriff Wescott with his men on the steps of the old Salem Jail circa 1990 (from WCSO Facebook page).First row (l to r): UnderSheriff Cliff Howard, Dep. Frank McCullen, Dep. Myles Reilly, Dep. Bill Marcantonio, Dep. John Lancour, Sheriff Marty Wescott. 2nd row (l to r): Dep. Don Cooper, Dep. Marshall Hopkins, Sgt. Frank Diamond, Dep. J.J. Murphy.3rd row (l to r): K-9 Sgt. George BellDeputy Harold Spiezio Jr., Firearms Instructor Dep. Bill O'Donnell.
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Registration Open, Statewide Conference on Victim Notification
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Thanks to our Diamond Partners:
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New York State Sheriffs' Association | 518-434-9091 | www.nysheriffs.org
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