Letter from Bryant Kolner
Please Vote for Your New Sheriff…Mike Stalter
Being a 24-year veteran law enforcement police officer, who spent nine years as a Saratoga County Sheriff’s patrol deputy, I’m uniquely qualified to speak to how a professionally run sheriff’s office should be. I’m also a full-time resident of Otsego County now and I’m very concerned with Sheriff Devlin’s failures.
Residents don’t really know how important their county sheriff’s office is to their public safety. Your sheriff’s office is the primary law enforcement agency of each county, tasked with running your county jail. Every county jail facility in New York State is mandated under New York State Corrections Law to house the worst of the worst criminals and violent felons. These alleged criminals are first arrested and arraigned, a judge issues a commitment order for that person to be held in the custody of the Sheriff’s Office correctional facility for trial…your county jail gets the worst, hardened criminals as residents before trial. It is a monumental job and responsibility for every sheriff to run an efficient, safe county jail facility.
During Sheriff Devlin’s administration this has not been the case, with criminal behavior by high ranking Sheriff’s Office employees, committing felonies dealing drugs, namely cocaine, while on duty using a marked Sheriff’s Office patrol vehicle outside of Otsego County. Refer to the New York State Police arrest blog and former articles published in this newspaper.
This is a complete administrative failure, by Sheriff Devlin’s lack of professional leadership and accountability to Otsego County residents who pay his salary, and to the Otsego County Board of Supervisors. Sheriff Devlin has also reportedly allowed a massive abuse of overtime pay, which is totally inexcusable and a direct violation of the public trust that he swore to uphold…instead permits to happen!
Regardless of political affiliation, please vote for a very qualified candidate and professional law enforcement officer, Mike Stalter, as your new Otsego County sheriff…Everyone’s vote matters!
Bryant Kolner
Cooperstown
