Devlin Officially Announces Sheriff Reelection Campaign

By ERIC SANTOMAURO-STENZEL
MILFORD

Otsego County Sheriff Richard J. Devlin Jr. officially announced his reelection campaign for a sixth term on Wednesday, January 7. The Republican longtime head of the Sheriff’s Office was first elected in 2006.

“Albany continues to pass laws that favor criminals over law-abiding citizens,” Devlin said in a press release. “Here in Otsego County, our Sheriff’s Office has helped keep our communities among the safest places in New York to live, work and raise a family.”

According to the release, Devlin has 36 total years of law enforcement experience. Devlin touted the creation of the Offender Watch to monitor registered sex offenders; VINE, a victim-notification system; CHILDSAFE, a gun-lock distribution program; and Operation Safe Child, which supports child identification and protection. Devlin also launched the Otsego County Sheriff’s App. He helped to establish an Animal Cruelty Registry known as Oscar’s Law with county board support.

The Sheriff’s Office has also grown its presence on social media under Devlin’s tenure. Followed by more than 21,000 accounts on Facebook, the office regularly posts mugshots of accused criminals and incident reports, weather alerts, hiring and promotion details, and other office updates.

Devlin recently signed a 287(g) agreement with Immigration and Customs Enforcement to train five jail supervisors to serve administrative immigration warrants in the county jail. He also recently launched a one-Saturday-a-month pistol permit service.

“With nearly four decades in law enforcement, my focus has always been the same: protect our residents, support our businesses and schools, and run an effective, efficient, and well-trained Sheriff’s Office,” Devlin said. “There is more work to do and I’m ready to keep fighting for the safety and security of the residents of Otsego County.”

The release also announced endorsements from other local Republicans: New York State Senator Peter Oberacker; NYS Assemblyman Chris Tague; NYS Assemblyman Brian Miller; NYS Assemblyman Joe Angelino; Otsego County Board Chair and county Republican Party Chair Ed Frazier; Otsego County Treasurer Allen Ruffles; Otsego County Clerk Jennifer Basile; and Otsego County Board of Representatives member Daniel Wilber, who chairs the body’s Public Safety and Legal Affairs Committee.

“As town supervisor, county board representative, and now state senator, I have worked closely with Sheriff Rich Devlin in a number of capacities,” Oberacker, who is also running for the NY-19 congressional seat, said in a statement to AllOtsego. “I can say unequivocally that there is no one more qualified or better equipped to serve as our sheriff than Rich Devlin.

“Rich has done a tremendous job protecting the families and businesses of Otsego County, and under his leadership our communities have consistently remained among the safest places in the state to live, work, and raise a family,” Oberacker said.

He added he is “proud to stand with Sheriff Devlin” and “even prouder to call him a trusted colleague and a good friend.”

So far, the only other announced candidate is fellow Republican Michael J. Stalter, himself a deputy for the Sheriff’s Office for 25 years who launched his campaign via Facebook on January 3. He retired as a sergeant last June and recently told AllOtsego he left because he lost confidence in Devlin’s leadership. Stalter said he is running to promote positivity, cut costs and change certain incident reporting policies.

The primary is scheduled for June 23.

Local Democrats have been energized to seek their own candidate after Devlin’s signing of the 287(g) ICE agreement.

“I would also remind you all that the sheriff is an elected position—and that means you, the taxpayer, are [Devlin’s] boss,” Otsego County Democratic Committee Chair Caitlin Ogden wrote in a December 8 Facebook statement asking for people to suggest candidates and condemning the 287(g) agreement as contributing to a “culture of fear amongst a vulnerable population.”

In the last campaign, 2022, Devlin ran unopposed in both the primary and general elections. He last faced a retired state trooper running on the Democratic line, Bob Fernandez, in the 2018 general election. Devlin won with 51.79 percent of the vote, county records show.

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Darla M. Youngs, General Manager/Senior Editor