It’s a beautiful day in Steuben
County. There is nothing as beautiful as
new fallen snow. As it usually does,
February entered with frigid temperatures and slippery roads. As we dig out from our latest storm, let us
remember those first responders, tow truck and plow drivers who operate in the
cold and snow regardless of the wind or temperature.
The Sheriff’s Office has already
been busy in 2021. So far in this, the
225th year of the Steuben County Sheriff’s Office, we have enacted a
police reform plan, completed a NYS Division of Criminal Justice SWAT operator certification
course, completed our annual goals, recognized both our deputy of the year and
correction officer of the year, and received via delivery three new police
cars.
In 2021 the Sheriff’s Office continues
to support the efforts of Steuben County Public Health while continuing to
serve the citizens of Steuben County in our law enforcement capacity. Whether we are serving quarantine notices,
making daily phone calls to recovering patients or following up on PAUSE
complaints, we continue to respond to calls for service and assist those in
need.
From March until December of 2020
we were fortunate to have zero cases of Covid-19 infection among inmates and
staff in the jail. In December 2020 we
experienced an outbreak in both the inmate population and subsequently in
staff. We went from zero inmates
infected to 26 in just two weeks. Thanks
to the expert guidance of our medical partners, PrimeCare Inc. and Steuben
County Public Health, we were able to isolate and mitigate our exposure and
began weekly testing of all inmates and staff.
This week is the second consecutive week in which we have again returned
to zero new cases in both staff and inmates.
Many thanks to the dedicated correction and PrimeCare staff that made
this possible. We have also navigated
the vaccination process for our first responders. Many staff members have had their second dose
of vaccine as we continue to proactively deal with the pandemic.
February is Black History
month. As we reflect on the societal
changes that we are all engaged in, let us also remember the rich history our
county has, both as a stop on the underground railroad and as a firm
abolitionist area prior to and during the Civil War. During the work of the police reform program,
we were fortunate to be able to conduct research and hear testimonial of both
overt and covert racism in our society.
Although we have made tremendous societal strides, we must continue to
move forward together to continue to create a better Steuben County.
-Sheriff James L. Allard
