The upcoming race for Allegany County Sheriff is as
important as any election I can recall in the recent past. I have known both
candidates professionally for over the last 20 years. When Rick Whitney ran for
his first term about 7 years ago, I fully supported him. One of the main
reasons I gave him support was his campaign promise to return the Allegany
County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Investigators back to the Southern Tier
Regional Task Force. The drug task force
is comprised of multiple law enforcement agencies that cover several counties.
The task force has an enormous amount of resources and personnel which is
exactly what is needed in Allegany County. Allegany County has a serious opioid
epidemic that has increasingly become worse in the last 7 years. Having just
three Deputies assigned to narcotics enforcement on a part time basis is not
even close to adequate. Allegany County residents deserve better and our
children deserve better. This has been just one of Rick Whitney’s campaign
promises that he has not kept. This is probably his greatest failure as the
Sheriff.
Over the course of the last 7 years I have seen the
relationship between the Sheriff’s Department and local law enforcement
agencies deteriorate to the point that it is in crisis mode. There is minimal
communication and cooperation. Rick
Whitney has failed to address the problem and failed to be a leader on this
issue.
The 911 enumeration project has been stale for years and is
still incomplete under the direction of Rick Whitney. The dispatcher that is
running the program has not been given the adequate resources by Whitney to get
the job done. Now, in an election year we are being told by Rick Whitney that
this is a public safety issue and needs to be immediately addressed (imagine an
ambulance or fire truck going to the wrong address because the address and the
fire number were different). Why was this not done years ago if it is a public
safety issue? This is a major failure under Rick Whitney.
Walt Mackney has made a career of addressing the drug
epidemic in Western NY and now Steuben County. His success as the Senior
Investigator with the New York State Police in charge of the Southern Tier
Regional Task Force is evident in the volume of arrests and cases he developed
in his 13 years assigned there. Now, Walt can be found as the Chief
Investigator in charge of drug investigations in Steuben County. Again, his
success is easily seen in the number of drug cases and arrests that he has been
involved with in the last several years he has been there. Walt Mackney has a
combined 39 years of law enforcement experience at various levels and with both
State and local agencies. Walt is also a police officer with the Town of Cuba
Police Department. Walt has an impeccable reputation among his law enforcement
colleagues. What I have found with Walt Mackney, is that he is a man of his
word and always follows through with his promises. If he says it will get done, it will get
done. Walt has promised to address the drug problems in Allegany County. As a
father, I am glad this is a top priority. Walt Mackney’s commitment to the
citizens of this county is also evident in the training that he provides as an
N.R.A. certified instructor and firearms instructor as a police officer with
the Cuba Police Department where he teaches gun safety and active shooter
training. I think there is tremendous value in having a Sheriff that is willing
to train the citizens of this County in gun safety and active shooter response.
I was personally looking forward to a debate between Mackney
and Whitney so some of the above issues could be addressed directly by both
candidates. I find it disappointing that Whitney is refusing to debate in a
public forum. If Whitney is proud of his
accomplishments over the last 7 years why is he refusing to debate? Walt
Mackney has made himself personally available at every turn to any member of
the public to answer questions and share his vision for the Sheriff’s Office.
The way I see this election is that the voter has a
choice. Rick Whitney who has not
delivered on the majority of his campaign promises of 7 years ago and has
little vision for the priorities of the Sheriff’s Office. Rick mentioned that
he was running for another term so he could ascend to the President position of
the NYS Sheriff’s Association. I would offer that there are much more important
issues and priorities for the Sheriff than being a member of a social
organization.
Or - choose Walt Mackney who offers a proven record of
getting the job done. He has made the drug epidemic a major priority that he
will immediately address. He will also immediately address inter agency
cooperation between the sheriff’s office and other county law enforcement
agencies. It is evident from the amount of support Walt has received that
Allegany County Law Enforcement Agencies want him as the next Sheriff. Walt
Mackney won’t just make campaign promises to get elected like his opponent.
Walt Mackney will deliver and bring the position of Allegany County Sheriff
back to respectability.
Vote Walt Mackney for Allegany County Sheriff.
Scott A. Cicirello
Wellsville resident
Former Chief of Police, Alfred N.Y.
Former Chief of Police, Salamanca, N.Y.
