Letter: Sheriff Rick Whitney asks for your vote

It is a privilege to serve as your Sheriff and I would consider it an honor to carry on in that capacity.  My reason for re-election is simple, I want to continue to move the Sheriff’s Office forward and serve my community. I have been serving the Allegany County community in my job and my personal life for 43 years, as Bolivar Police Chief, Sheriff, and a leader in several community service organizations. Since my election in 2010 the Allegany County Sheriff’s Office has partnered with multiple agencies, expanded services in and out of the jail, maintained facility accreditation, passed multiple federal and state inspections, expanded and enhanced the 911 system, and generated just over $14 million in revenue from housing federal inmates and inmates from other counties. Overtime hours have remained effectively static and administrative overtime has trended down each year. I am proud that the Allegany County Sheriff’s Office has accomplished all of this and more while each year being under budget.

 

I bring to the Sheriff’s Office multiple executive leadership certifications such as the FBI National Academy and the National Sheriff’s Institute. As Sheriff I took all the training I thought necessary to do my job effectively. During my first term I attended and graduated from the basic corrections academy. I now work with the New York State Sheriffs Association to share and expand best practices in our agency and across the state. I also expect my administration to continue to advance their education to better serve our community. The Undersheriff successfully completed FBI National Academy and the National Homeland Security Leadership Training Academy. The Jail Administrator completed all the requirements to become a nationally certified jail manager as well as graduating from and is now a regular contributor to the Leadership Allegany Program. All the command Staff have completed incident command school.  I mention all of this because the office of sheriff is an evolving, complicated agency that requires delegation and leadership, skills that I and my administration have developed and will continue to do so.  Obviously the administration cannot function alone, the employees throughout the Sheriff’s Office have been and are essential to our success and they are a tremendous asset to Allegany County.

I will continue to work with several Allegany County agencies on issues facing the office and the community at large, including the current drug problem and school safety.

 

The Sheriff is the chief law enforcement officer of our county and I have extensive training and experience in law enforcement and investigations, but there is much more to being your sheriff than wearing a uniform, strapping on a gun and fighting crime. The sheriff is the Chief Administrating Officer of the jail, in charge of the emergency dispatch center, oversees the civil process and is responsible for the security of our courts and county buildings.

I grew up in Allegany County and chose to live and work my entire career here.  I would consider it an honor to continue to serve our community as your Sheriff, therefore I ask for your vote on Tuesday, November 6th. The polls are open from 6:00 AM until 9:00 PM.

Rick Whitney

Allegany County Sheriff