Volume 382                                                                                                                    November 20, 2015 
File 25
News of the NYS Sheriffs' Association
Sheriffs Offices in the News...
Warren County Sheriff Bud York shares New10 ABC feature story on Police PTSD that profiles Sheriff's Deputy Jimmy Banish, the Peer Support Coordinator for WCSO .  Click here  to read the full story. 
Ontario County Sheriff Phil Povero shares Message Post News story about K9s Truman, Cecil, and Daphne who received ballistic vests thanks to a Groupon Grassroots campaign by national charity Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. Click here to read the full story.
Rensselaer County Undersheriff/Sheriff Elect Pat Russo is quoted in this Cosmopolitan magazine story on the Heroin addiction epidemic in Averil Park...a small Rensselaer County town.
Livingston County Sheriff Tom Dougherty  shares Genesee Sun story about K9 Gibbs who also received a ballistic vest thanks to the Groupon Grassroots campaign by national charity Vested Interest in K9s, Inc.  Click here  to read the full story.
Sheriffs Represented at Key Meetings...
GIVE Procedural Justice Symposium
Among those participating in the Symposium in Saratoga last week were (l to r): Oneida County Undersheriff Robert Swenszkowski; Saratoga County Sheriff Mike Zurlo; Broome County Sheriff Dave Harder; Saratoga County Chief Deputy Richard Castle; Oneida County Chief Deputy Jon Owens; and Executive Director Peter Kehoe.
Sheriffs and Sheriffs’ personnel from several Gun Involved Violence Elimination (GIVE) counties, along with police chiefs, prosecutors and other criminal justice professionals, attended a two-day Procedural Justice Symposium in Saratoga last week. The Symposium, jointly sponsored by DCJS, the National Network for Safe Communities and the National Initiative for Building Community Trust and Justice, included nationally known speakers and panel discussions on such topics as police legitimacy and building trust between communities and the criminal justice system.    DCJS Commissioner Mike Green, in explaining the reason for the Symposium, said “As you well know, the climate of policing has been changing before our eyes, and an enhanced emphasis on improving police-community relationships is critical in these time. These efforts become even more important in the aftermath of recent high-profile incidents such as Ferguson and Baltimore.  Positive relationships between police and the communities they serve are crucial in creating safer communities for everyone, including the reduction of gun violence."
NYS Intelligence Summit
Photo above (l to r): Jefferson County Sheriff Colleen O'Neal and Warren County Sheriff Bud York
Photo below (l to r): Niagara County Chief Deputy Mike Dunn; Delaware County Undersheriff Craig DuMond; and Niagara County Sheriff & Association President James Voutour.
The Annual New York State Intelligence Summit was held this Wednesday and Thursday this week at the Sagamore in Bolton Landing, New York.  The two-day Summit brought together homeland security professionals from multiple agencies across the State, including many Sheriffs and Sheriff’s personnel, to hear presentations on the latest in homeland security and intelligence matters from experts on the national, state and local level including the military, police and prosecutors, and the private sector.  The weekend terrorist attacks in Paris were a timely topic of discussion by many of the presenters, offering many interesting insights on the growing problem of terrorism.
Rockland County Undersheriff Bob VanCura Honored
Rockland County Undersheriff Bob VanCura (pictured left) was honored before hundreds of his colleagues at the NYS Intelligence Summit i n Bolton Landing this week when he was named the Counter Terrorism Zone Coordinator of the Year. Undersheriff VanCura has been active in homeland security efforts in the region for many years. He  serves as Coordinator of CTZ-4 at the request of Sheriff Lou Falco.
Governor Cuomo Reappoints Yates County Sheriff Ron Spike to Chair the Municipal Police Training Council

Yates County Sheriff Ron Spike was first appointed as a Member and Chairman of the Municipal Police Training Council (MPTC) in 1997 by Governor George Pataki. He has now been  reappointed by Governor Andrew Cuomo to his 9th term on the Council. The Council comprises eight members appointed by the Governor: two Sheriffs, two Chiefs of Police, the State Police Superintendent, the New York City Police Commissioner, and two others of the Governor’s choosing. The other Sheriff currently serving on the MPTC is Monroe County Sheriff Patrick O'Flynn.

Since 1997, Sheriff Spike, a lifelong Republican, has, upon recommendation of the Sheriffs’ Association, been reappointed to the Council every two years by Republican and Democrat Governors alike: Governors Pataki, Spitzer, Patterson, and Cuomo. He has served as Chair for all but two of those 18 years--in 2007 Governor Spitzer chose a different Chair who served for only 2 years.

The Council sets the standards for municipal law enforcement training courses statewide. "We 

approve courses and academies and make recommendations to the Governor for regulatory changes that affect hiring, civil service rules, physical fitness, ADA compliance and more," Sheriff Spike said.  "Interestingly, when I first graduated from Basic Police Training in 1971 the training hours required were 240," he continued.

"Over the years, to keep up with changing laws and new technologies, the minimum training hours have been increased and several courses created. While I have been on the Council, basic training hours have increased first from 445 to 510, then to 636 in 2006, and to 639 in 2008. They are currently at 641 hours," Sheriff Spike said. 

Just re-elected to his 7th term as the Yates County Sheriff, Ron Spike has served as the elected Yates County Sheriff since 1992 and has been a member of the agency since 1970, moving up through the ranks from deputy sheriff, youth officer, criminal investigator, and chief deputy sheriff. Thank you for your continued service Sheriff Spike!
Thanks to our Diamond Partners:
 New York State Sheriffs' Association | 518-434-9091 | www.nysheriffs.org