Local Law Enforcement Talk Down Troubled Carlisle Woman in Standoff

At approximately 11:15 am Tuesday morning, local State Police and the Schoharie County Sheriff's Office received calls concerning the welfare of a woman residing on Route 20 in the Town of Carlisle. Law enforcement personnel from both agencies responded, with State Police arriving first.

Upon their arrival on scene officers learned that the middle aged woman had poured gasoline through out the house and that she was located in the cellar, where she preceded to pour gasoline on herself as well. She was alone in the residence. 

Troopers and Deputies attempted to talk her into coming outside the residence, but she refused and then threatened to harm herself. Recognizing the potential for an explosion and fire, it was requested that fire and rescue squads be dispatched to the scene. 

Schoharie County 911 Dispatchers activated the Carlisle, Central Bridge and Esperance Fire Departments to respond, whereupon Central Bridge Fire Chief Scott Johnson assumed fire command. Chief Johnson would request additional support from the Sharon Springs and Cobleskill departments, in addition to the Sharon Springs Rescue Squad and County Fire Coordinators. 

As the situation continued to deteriorate, State Police requested the presence of negotiators and a Mobile Response Team to be brought on scene, where after hours of a contentious standoff, the woman exited her house around 2:30 PM and was transported by the Rural Metro Ambulance to Ellis Hospital for evaluation. 

Praising the work of law enforcement and emergency responders on scene, Schoharie County Sheriff Tony Desmond stated that, "what started out in a dangerous situation ended with no injuries due to the excellent cooperation of all responders."

Sheriff's Office Arrest Two for Possession of Syringes, Endangering Child

On March 12th 2014, the Schoharie County Sheriff’s Office arrested Ashley Oliver, 29, of Schoharie, and Frank Taylor, 22, of Schoharie, both for Criminally Possessing a Hypodermic Instrument, and Endangering the Welfare of a Child.

The Schoharie County Sheriff’s Office, while conducting an investigation into stolen prescription drugs, executed a search warrant on Prospect Street in the Village of Schoharie. As a result of this search warrant, several used syringes were located throughout this residence, almost all within reach of a 5 year old child who also resided at this residence.

Ashley Oliver was arraigned in the Village of Schoharie Court, and was remanded to the Schoharie County Correctional Facility on $7,500 cash bail or $15,000 secured bond; to reappear in the Village of Schoharie Court on 03/24/2014.

Frank Taylor was arraigned in the Village of Schoharie Court, and was remanded to the Schoharie County Correctional Facility on $5,000 cash bail or $10,000 secured bond; to reappear in the Village of Schoharie Court on 03/24/2014.

The Schoharie County Child Protective Services were notified, and assisted at the scene.      

Man Gored by Irate Buffalo in Town of Richmondville

The Schoharie County Sheriff's Department issued the following update on March 4th, 2014: "The name of the man who was injured by the charging Bison is BrianWare, he is 34 years old and resides in the Town of Richmondville. As of this writing, he has been released from the hospital."

In the midst of loading bison onto a cattle trailer for transport in over the weekend, a local man was chased and gored by an irate Buffalo in the Town of Richmondville. 

The man, whose identity has not been released at this time, attempted to run away from the charging beast but tripped and fell in the snow, where he was attacked and impaled by the one-ton behemoth. He was then brought to safety by the other wranglers on the scene, who immediately called 911. 

Photo credit: Times-Union

The incident, which occurred Saturday evening around seven at the Grumpy Buffalo Farm on Harroway Road, left the man in severe pain and with difficulty breathing, but fortunately members of the Richmondville Volunteer Emergency Squad arrived quickly and treated the victim on scene. After stabilizing the man, they transported him to Albany Medical Center for further treatment.  

He reportedly suffered no internal injures, according to Schoharie County Sheriff Tony Desmond. 

Sheriff's Office Discovers Summit Man Trapped in Home, Suffering from Hypothermia

Editor's note: The Sheriff's Office filed the following press release early this morning to local news organizations.

At 12:15 today, February 25, 2014, the Schoharie County Sheriff’s Office received information from a concerned citizen reporting that a subject who resides on Mud Lake Road in the Town of Summit was potentially in need of assistance. 

The Sheriff’s Office, Richmondville Fire Department and The Summit Rescue Squad responded to the scene and found entry to the house was blocked due to a large amount of snow. There was no indication that anyone had been in or around the house for several days.

Upon entry they found a 76 year old male resident in serious need of medical care. There was no heat in the home.  The subject was suffering from hypothermia, frost bite and dehydration. The subject was transported to Cobleskill Regional Hospital and admitted in serious condition. 

The Sheriff’s Office would like to remind everyone that during this cold weather, they should check on their elderly neighbors or call the authorities if they are unable to do so.

Any questions related to this press release can be directed to Sheriff Anthony F. Desmond. Sheriff Desmond can be contacted by calling 518-860-3092.

Sheriff's Office: Foul Play Not Suspected in Schoharie Death, Victim Identified

      

The Sheriff's Office filed the following press release last evening:

Mark Trendell (35) of Sloansville, was found deceased in his vehicle on Orchard Street in the Village of Schoharie at about 11:40 am on Sunday February 9, 2014. 

The Schoharie County Sheriff’s Office with assistance from Schoharie Village Police, continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident. At this time the investigation has revealed that, Mr. Trendell, had spent the evening in his vehicle in the driveway of an acquaintance, with their permission. The last contact was about 7:30 Saturday evening. At about 11:40 the acquaintance went to check on Mr. Trendell, who’s vehicle was still running in the driveway, and found Mr. Trendell unresponsive. The resident called 911. Responding police and Scho-Wright EMS determined that Mr. Trendell had passed. 

Foul play is not suspected, and any cause will not be determined until an autopsy is completed at a later time.  

Tillapaugh Appointed Chief Deputy in Sheriff's Office

The Schoharie County Sheriff's Department has announced the appointment of Deputy Sheriff Duane Tillapaugh, who unsuccessfully sought the Republican nomination for Sheriff against incumbent Tony Desmond in last year's election, as the Chief Deputy (and third in command) of the county's law enforcement force. 

Chief Deputy Tillapaugh has served in the Sheriff's Office for twenty-five years, during which he has obtained multiple certifications and attended additional training in many areas, including: Civil Law Training, Crime Scene Processing, Law Enforcement Photography, CPR/First Responder training and Composite Drawing/Indenti-Kit training.

Having started his law enforcement career at the jail as a Corrections Officer in 1988, Tillapaugh attended and graduated from the Zone Five Law Enforcement Training Academy at HVCC in the spring of 1990, after which he was assigned to the Town of Middleburgh, a paid contract for police coverage between the Town and the Sheriff's Office.

He has also served as a President and Vice-President of the SCSO Road Patrol Union, which has given him extensive experience in negotiations and working with police unions. More recently, Tillapaugh has been involved in handling many of the day to day responsibilities within the Sheriff's Office, ranging from supervising the County Sex Offenders Registry to handling arrest warrants.

In addition to a lifetime of law enforcement service, Tillapaugh has been a devoted husband of twenty-six years and is the proud father of two daughters. 

Poll: Readers Approve of Sheriff Desmond's Job Performance

Schoharie News readers, by a margin that closely resembles the November election, approve of Sheriff Anthony Desmond as head of Schoharie County's law enforcement apparatus. Mr. Desmond, who previously served as Town of Sharon Springs Supervisor, was recently sworn into his second term in office.

Do you approve of Sheriff Desmond's job performance?

Yes - (132) - 52%

No - (112) - 44%

Undecided - (8) - 3%

And vote in our new poll on our sidebar!

Sheriff's Department Arrests Jefferson Man on One Count of Menacing

The Schoharie County Sheriff's Department announced the arrest of a Jefferson man on one count of Menacing in the 2nd Degree in a press release e-mailed to local media yesterday evening. The man, who has been identified as 34 year old Frank Darmody Jr., was arrested Monday at approximately 7:45 following a reported domestic incident in the Town of Jefferson.

 

Mr. Darmody was remanded to the custody of the Sheriff in lieu of $2500 cash bail or $5000 secured bond and is scheduled to reappear in the Town of Jefferson Courthouse on Monday, February 3rd, 2014 to face charges of Menacing in the 2nd Degree, a Class A misdemeanor that could carry up to a one year jail sentence if the defendant is found guilty.

 

 

 

　

 

 

 

 

New Poll Up: Do You Approve of Sheriff Desmond's Job Performance?

In this new poll, we are asking readers to weigh in on whether they approve or disapprove of Sheriff Tony Desmond's performance as head of Schoharie County's law enforcement apparatus. The Sheriff was re-elected to a second term in November, receiving slightly less than fifty percent of the vote.

 

This poll will be open until Friday and is located on the right-hand sidebar on the Schoharie News website.

 

Note: The results of our previous poll, asking who readers supported for County Board Chairman, were disqualified due to vote-rigging by supporters of Mr. Van Glad and Mr. Skowfoe, which is very unfortunate considering the importance of the poll topic.

Coxsackie Business Owner Donates ATV for Search and Rescue Operatons to Schoharie County Sheriff's Department

After hearing the Schoharie County Sheriff's Office Tactical and Rescue Force was in need of an all-terrain vehicle, even being asked to donate an older model by members of the all volunteer force, Chris Gerken of Matt's Cycle Center in Coxsackie decided to take action and assist the still rebuilding Sheriff's department.

 

Working through Kawasaki's Law Enforcement Motor Vehicle program, Mr. Gerken was able to acquire a four wheel drive, side by side 2013 Kawasaki T-Rex for the Department, which presented their new vehicle to members of the press yesterday afternoon at the county's Public Safety Facility in Schoharie.

 

Sheriff Desmond (far left) and TACT & Rescue Force Members
posed in frigid temperatures Thursday (Credit: Timothy Knight)

Commenting that the "Sheriff's Office Tactical and Rescue Force is an unpaid group of volunteers which provide services to Schoharie County and it's residents on a regular basis," Sheriff Desmond focused on the hard work that the force does by listing traffic and crowd control at public events such as parades, field day celebrations and the County Fair as every day examples of their valuable efforts. He would go on to add that they "also assist in searches for lost, missing or injured people," and that he was "extremely thankful for all that they do."

 

Members of the Schoharie County Tactical and Rescue Force, who were on hand for the press conference and were described as a "well trained group who are always willing to respond and assist in any emergency," by Sheriff Desmond, praised the donation - saying that it would be used for "search and rescue operations," and that it was "designed for rural communities." Also on hand was John Stiles of the Department of Public Works Sign Maintenance Division, who designed the vehicle's colorful decals.

 

Teenage Boy Struck by Motor Vehicle on Main Street Middleburgh

The Schoharie County Sheriff's office issued the following press release yesterday evening:

At 4:36 today the Sheriff's Office responded to a personal injury car/pedestrian collision on Main St. in the Village of Middleburgh. 

The investigation has revealed that David Harrington (38) of Esperance was traveling north on Main St. when he struck a 14 y/o male who was crossing the road in a marked crosswalk. 

The victim was transported to Albany Medical Center by MEVAC and county EMS with a fracture of his right leg and several cuts. At this time there is no word on the treatment required. 

Upon speaking with a witness and the parties involved, it was determined that speed was not a factor, and that the teen may have misjudged the distance and time he had to cross, not allowing the operator time to react and stop prior to the crosswalk. It was also determined that drugs or alcohol were not factors in the collision.  

No charges are being filed at this time.  

Middleburgh Fire and Scho-Wright Ambulance also assisted at the scene.

Desmond Picks Up Schoharie County Deputies' Support

Sheriff Tony Desmond has announced through his campaign's Facebook page that he has the support of the majority of the deputies in the Sheriff's Department. The Schoharie County Road Patrol Association has decided that the incumbent is worth keeping as their boss.

It reads in part that the union believes that the Sheriff "proves leadership and experience have the agency on a path for continued success."

Heroin a Growing Problem

The rise of opiates across the United States has rocked the law enforcement community. Once relegated to the worst parts of large cities, heroin and similar poppy-based drugs have opened a door into even the smallest of towns. Unfortunately, the problem has increased significantly in Schoharie County, as across the country, over the last five years.

Many of these forces are due to problems outside of the control of local law enforcement. Lax bag checks on Amtrak allow funneling through Utica and Amsterdam, Mexico's drug war has made harder drugs more profitable, and cultural shifts have contributed to the problem. Upstate New York, with its mix of cities and rural environments and poor local economy, has been particularly hard hit. Even last month came five arrests on serious drug charges, including heroin in Amsterdam.

In 2013 alone, we've seen two major arrests of County residents over the drug-- one arrest of four in Cobleskill and one arrest of two in Princetown.

One of the strongest defenses against the tide of opiates into the County could be the Schoharie County Sheriff's office. While the Sheriff has made major strides in campaigns against methamphetamines and cannabis, heroin has exploded. The Sheriff's Department reacted to the growing heroin problem in 2013 with a special confidential tip line. Still, this comes years after the problem has become acute and noticeable.

In an interview last year with the Mountain Eagle, Sheriff Desmond indicated that the problem was here to stay and that the problem began at home. He suggested that parents keep drug cabinets locked up and that residents keep an eye out for suspicious activity:

“One of the big things that you see are several people stopping for a short period of time at a house or apartment, coming and going,” said Desmond. “That is usually a good indication of some activity.”

While there is nothing functionally wrong with this approach, it remained primarily reactive and to date no major anti-heroin initiative has been rolled out by the Sheriff's Department.

Still, the County has recorded more drug arrests in the past year. Overall, since the beginning of Desmond's administration, there have been 63 felony and 121 misdemeanor drug arrests as compared to the previous three years having 31 and 75 respectively. These numbers include all arrests in the County-- by the Sheriff's Department, State Police, and local forces.

Indeed, a bright spot has taken place in the Village of Cobleskill. The community has stepped up enforcement and is responsible for the largest bust this year. Police chief Larry Travis has shown acumen in his attention to the problem and has shown results. From the middle of 2012 until early 2013 the Village of Cobleskill made six heroin busts.

Chief Travis told the Cobleskill paper in February of this year that it's a problem that's growing:

"The ease of obtaining the drug, the cost of it indicate it's increasing," he said.

DWI Enforcement Drops Over Last Three Years

New York State has seen an increase in DWI arrests since the Great Recession began in 2008. The problem has been significant in Upstate New York, especially. Despite tremendous efforts to try and stem the tide of drunken driving, including public service campaigns, the trend is increasing.

New York north of the City has seen a total of 17,229 DWI arrests between 2010 and 2012 as compared to 16,893 in the previous three years. This 1.95% increase in cumulative arrests also came as the total number of people in the region declined. With this significant per-capita increase, New York State is struggling under the new caseload.

This problem appears particularly acute in poorer rural communities. As one of the poorest counties in Upstate New York, it would appear that the trend would especially high. Drunk driving cases have splashed the pages of local newspapers and television newscasts.

Instead, drunk driving arrests have plummeted. During the same 2010-2012 period, directly overlapping the term of Sheriff Tony Desmond, the numbers have fallen off. There were 56 felony DWI arrests in this period, compared to 79 the previous three under Sheriff John Bates. This represents a 29% drop. Furthermore, there were 406 misdemeanor DWI arrests as compared to 496 the previous three, an 18% fall.

Complaints about drunk driving appear to have increased across the County, but the Sheriff's Department has not arrested on the subject with the same ferocity as in the past. Much of the intoxicated driving enforcement has fallen on the lap of the State Police.

Part of this could be a way of decluttering the already packed local justice system by charging individuals with lesser offenses. However, direct evidence seems to point to a decline in road patrol since 2010. In the words of one worker at the Sheriff's office (NOT a candidate for political office), many of the back roads of Schoharie County are now considered largely unenforceable due to the stretching of finite resources. The reduction in road patrol hours instituted by Sheriff Desmond has also led to a rash of complaints about speeding.

Motion to Release "the Report" Blocked as Supervisors Spar

Toward the end of a long meeting of the Board of Supervisors last Friday, the County probe into personnel practices came into discussion. The issue was broached by Sheriff Tony Desmond, who asked the Board for the report to be released "as soon as possible." He asked for the dispatch to be issued as early as that day-- and that if the Board could not release in its entirety that at least the portion about the Sheriff's Department could be issued. The Sheriff said that it was not fair for the report to be held as people have been asking about the issue during a political campaign. Desmond said that if there was a problem in the Department, especially one involving his leadership style, he needed to know immediately.

Blenheim Supervisor Bob Mann asked for a more precise time on the release. County Attorney West hoped for the report to be 'wrapped up' by the end of this current week. Chair Phil Skowfoe also asked the attorneys conducting the probe on a precise timeline and did not receive any firm answer.

Jefferson Supervisor Dan Singletary spoke up, stating that he was concerned that the report "does not include what you want" while motioning to Schoharie Supervisor Gene Milone. Singletary stated that the report was "political" and did not reflect "reality." The Jefferson Supervisor said that he requested tapes of the interviews through the Freedom of Information Act.

Singletary motions to Milone. Photo credit SCHOPEG

Milone fired back, saying that "I don't know what kind of political agenda he's talking about" while adding that the tapes could not be FOILed because the report was not released. He also asked if the report would be done by early October. Mike West said that this was certainly possible. He previously had expected an earlier finish date. Milone said that his probe was to get to the "truth" of recent actions in County government.

Photo credit SCHOPEG

Esperance Supervisor Earl van Wormer said that he is asked about the communique "every day" and that people expected it released because "they paid for it with taxpayer dollars." He also mentioned that while the original probe was based on complaints of potential harassment, that no one deserved to serve in the County under adverse conditions. He said that he originally expected the report to cost $50,000. He said that the County "owed it" to the complainants to bring the report to a conclusion, despite the fact that it has dragged "on and on."

The timing of the report bothered Blenheim Supervisor Bob Mann, who believed that it could be used as a political football. The original draft of the interviews are currently available to the Supervisors and Mann called for the transcripts to be placed "on the table" to prevent politicization. Mann feared that it would be delayed until after the election and asked "Why can't they see it now?" Singletary asked again for a copy of the tapes. Attorney West said that the issue had already been discussed and that he had no further comment.

Singletary then intimated that the final report would be manipulated through editing to change its ultimate meaning. West said that he could not initiate disciplinary actions no matter what the results of the probe. Anne Batz said that she was concerned that even though the probe started with "good intentions" she was not convinced of the same now. She was concerned that "hearsay" could result in discipline. She said that she believed that there were "inaccuracies" in the report. Carlisle Supervisor Larry Bradt called for the final report so that questions would be settled.

Skowfoe was asked by Sharon Supervisor Sandra Manko if the Board would reconvene when the report was ready. A special meeting would be held to discuss it and its implications. He replied yes but West said that the report would not be issued until accepted by the Board.

After discussing Butternuts Brewery for several minutes, Cobleskill Supervisor Tom Murray made a motion to release the report immediately. Harold Vroman followed by motioning to delay until the paperwork was complete and that the lawyers involved be present. Discussion ensued on the cost of the probe-- which Attorney West estimated as "close to $300,000." When van Wormer called for the report to be finalized he was interrupted by Murray who said that if van Wormer was serious he would cut off funding for the probe.

Skowfoe called for a roll call vote. On Vroman's motion, Murray and Singletary voted no while the rest of the Board voted yes. Murray's motion received no second.

Desmond Wins Praise from Beekman Boys for Harvest Festival

Sheriff Tony Desmond has won praise by the Beekman Boys of Sharon for his work during a recent event. The television stars took part with many in the Sharon area for the annual Harvest Festival. The event drew thousands and security was in part provided by the Sheriff's Department. On the Beekman Boys' Facebook page, Desmond was praised for his recent work along with a picture with the celebrities.

County Sheriff Tony Desmond and his skilled officers take on the massive task of keeping traffic moving and our visitors safe. We're proud to say that we haven't had a single serious incident to date.

Opinion: Keep Politics Out of Drug Enforcement Policy

Sheriff Tony Desmond, speaking to WNYT in early September, offered this comment concerning a joint operation between his deputies and members of the New York Army National Guard in a pot-eradication mission that led to the destruction of hundreds of marijuana plants: "I would dare say that marijuana is the biggest thing in the county as far as illegal substances."

As an outside observer looking into Schoharie County's struggles with illegal drug use and our various law enforcement agency's efforts to combat it, I see merits to both Sheriff Desmond's hard stand against marijuana and Cobleskill Police Chief Larry Travis' equally rigid crackdown on heroin use in his jurisdiction.

Chief Travis' force, according to a February article published by the Cobleskill paper, have arrested six individuals for possession of heroin, which has only recently spread to our rural confines, and another four for intent to sell since mid-2012, making it a high priority for the Cobleskill police.

However, in recent weeks, I have noticed a more political tone in drug enforcement debates by the supporters of both Sheriff Desmond and Chief Travis, who are running against each other in this fall's sheriff election, either praising one for their particular crackdown, or criticizing the other for lack of.

And it is really starting to aggravate me.

Both men are law enforcement professionals with decades of experience under their belt and both have successfully targeted a particular illegal substance within their jurisdiction: Sheriff Desmond - marijuana; Chief Travis - heroin, essentially one department is complimenting the other. And while I'm sure there is more work to be done by both forces in combating illegal drugs in this county, there is no doubt that one mission is no more important than the other and that both are vital to upholding the law and protecting our citizenry.

With that said, could we focus on a productive law enforcement plan that involves both departments - with their particular specialties in two of the worst illegal substances we as a county face - along with the stationed State Troopers not only sharing intelligence and working together to fight the influx of harmful drug use, but also in merging their separate missions to form one potent, highly competent law enforcement apparatus to tackle the scourge of all drug use in our beautiful county.

This is an issue where law enforcement and citizen alike should unite behind a broad drug enforcement policy of containing the spread of marijuana, such as in operations conducted by the Sheriff's department, and nipping the dangerous threat of heroin infesting our community like Chief Travis' force has so effectively done, and put aside the political rancor that neither the electorate nor a position as honorable as the sheriff's office deserves.
 

Sheriff's Department Sees Healthy Budget Figures Over Last Three Years

Governments across the county have been trying to cut back costs, but with increasing health care premiums, insurance, and other factors, this is not always the case. Overall, spending across many governments have seen an increase in both nominal and inflation-adjusted dollars.

One exception to this has been the Sheriff's Department since Tony Desmond took office in 2009. The Sheriff has had much to deal with over the last three years, but the budget has remained steady under his term. The Department has acquired new equipment, such as the tactical response van seen around the County recently, but this purchase was set in motion by the last administration. Beyond this, there have been further budgetary constraints, such as the cost of moving prisoners and an office switch due to Irene.

Still, the numbers are healthy on the surface. Despite a reduction in the overall staff of the Department, Sheriff Desmond has fought against excessive cuts, especially due to the strains of Hurricane Irene. Overall, the Department has shrunk significantly. The law enforcement arm of the Department remains largely intact.

Year	Sworn Personnel	Civilian Personnel	Total
2010	25	18	43
2011	22	19	41
2012	23	12	35

This comes as even higher costs are eating away at the margin. Between 2010 and 2012, the gas and oil costs of the Department have jumped considerably-- from $57,259 spent in 2010 to $88,000 budgeted in 2012. The Department has also significantly increased its spending on investigations.

Sheriff Desmond has been creative in utilizing the resources given to his office. The Department also has been able to step up road patrol with overtime pay. Desmond has also instituted a new sweep to keep marijuana out of the County. One area that he will not use Sheriff's resources toward is enforcing the NY SAFE Act, which he believes to be unconstitutional. Desmond has even given some back-- his own salary has been reduced by over $1,000 to $69,000 a year.

Sheriff Desmond has also been influential in garnering grants. His office received $25,000 from a line item of Senator Jim Seward earmarked for the TAC Force, which has been increasingly useful since Irene.

Overall, these changes have had an effect-- the Sheriff's budget is nearly the same as it was in 2010. It spent $1,250,522 that year and saw a dip for both 2011 and 2012. The 2013 budget is a scant 0.41% higher at $1,255,696. Still, the 2012 budget request that Sheriff Desmond submitted is in fact lower than the amount the County granted. Desmond's request was $1,221,452, 2.3% below the 2010 level and $18,000 lower than the 2012 budget.

Schoharie Sees Mixed Bag on Recent Property Crime

One of the most unfortunate parts of Hurricane Irene's aftermath was the string of theft, vandalism, and burglary that affected many of the flood damaged communities up and down the Schoharie Valley. Local police forces were tasked to the max as high-profile cases hit Middleburgh, Schoharie and Esperance-- even reaching the Mayor of Middleburgh's house in 2012 and one owned by Assemblyman Pete Lopez this year.

The perceived rise in property crime actually was significantly lower than that of just a few years prior. Since Sheriff Tony Desmond has taken office, the year over year rates have dropped since 2009, but the three year average is higher.

Overall, comparing 2009 to 2012, we see the property crime rate down almost 15%. If we average in the prior three years, however, the numbers tell a different story. Average the prior three years brings in the dramatically low rate of 2007. The average of 2007-2009 is 1,325 per 100,000. Averaging the three years of Sheriff Desmond's administration, the rate is 1,388 per 100,000. Overall, the difference between the two periods is a 4.8% increase. This comes as the violent crime rate dropped precipitously during the same period.

Schoharie County Violent Crime Rate Plummets During Desmond Admin

During this fierce election season, Sheriff Anthony Desmond has asked voters to support the "change they know." During Desmond's three and a half years as Sheriff, there have been varying crime statistics that point to his job performance.

One of which is the fact that the violent crime rate has dropped dramatically under the current Sheriff. The three years of his term has seen the rate of violent crime at 52.7 per 100,000. The three previous years saw the rate at 70.6. This represents a total of an over 25% drop during this period. Similarly, the violent crime rate for all of New York State less NYC is down 9.2% comparing 2009 to 2012.

Schoharie County's fall also compares quite favorably to the rest of the state. 2012's rate of 54.5 is far lower than the state total of 405.1 and the non-NYC of 233.0. In fact, Schoharie County's rate is now so low that is is the second lowest in the state, behind only sparsely populated Hamilton County.