7/29/2019 From the Sheriff's Desk Response to NY SAFE Act

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January 31, 2013

FROM THE SHERIFFS DESK....

R esponse to NY SAFE Act

It has been over a month since the Newtown, Connecticut merciless killing of 20 small schoolchildren and their 6 brave teachers/staff members. The intense cruelty of this wanton bloodshedpropelled us as a nation to take immediate steps to prevent similar incidents from occurring elsewhere.

Since the murders were committed with guns, some were emphatic that stricter gun laws wouldprevent further tragic events. On the other side of this argument were those who surmised that ifarmed School Resource Officers had been in attendance, the casualty count could have beeneliminated or at least lessened.

Then too, many believe counseling can help troubled individuals receive the treatment they needbefore they become a danger to society.

Since the murder was committed by a mentally unstable person, some asked why mentallyunstable people are permitted access to any guns/ammo that they are capable of acquiring. Mostpeople will agree that people diagnosed with homicidal and suicidal tendencies should not possessfirearms.

All this talk about relieving some people of their weapons escalated into hysteria which started arumor that anyone (except those having illegal, unregistered weapons) could be relieved of his/herweapon. Thus was borne the fear that our second amendment rights were being violated and peopleimagined knocks on their doors and the confiscations of their firearms.

At this point, I received many pointed inquiries: Was I going to uphold the Constitution which Iwas sworn to do or go along with the hastily devised NY SAFE act? I told all who asked that Iintended to defend the Constitution of the United States and protect and serve the citizens of DelawareCounty. Whenever there is a conflict in orders, the Constitution takes precedence as far as I amconcerned. I also want to do everything within my power to protect our school children, teachers andschool staff while they are in school, as well as securing the safety of all of our citizens, wherever theymay be. This is a tall order and no one solution will fit all.

7/29/2019 From the Sheriff's Desk Response to NY SAFE Act

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Since that time, I have scheduled a meeting with school superintendents throughout the countyto discuss the most popular recommendations being posed to them; whether to hire armed schoolresource officers and/or provide counseling for troubled individuals. I have been told that each schoolwill be allowed to make its independent decision although the meeting has been called to collect andconsider a vast variety of suggestions.

Last week I attended a conference held by the New York State Sheriffs Association wherein52 of 58 Sheriffs in New York state met to consider the NY SAFE ACT. The collective response bythe Sheriffs to the NY Safe Act may be found on the Delaware County Sheriffs Office web pagehttp://www.co.delaware.ny.us/depeartments/shrf/shrf.htm. Since I do not have the space in this articleto provide an in-depth discussion of the six provisions of the new law which was devised to increasethe safety of our citizens, I hope you will read the article to glean more definitive information.

Be assured, this issue will not go away and must be addressed in a fair and equitablemanner. Our forefathers created a prudent code to live by when they wrote the Constitution and oneshould not presume that it can be improved by special interest groups, no matter how well meaning

their intentions may be. We are all endowed by our creator with certain inalienable rights: life,liberty and the pursuit of happiness. With this being said, no citizen who is legally exercising his/herconstitutional right to the Second Amendment shall have reason to fear the Sheriff, or any other lawenforcement official, within the borders of Delaware County.

http://www.co.delaware.ny.us/depeartments/shrf/shrf.htm.http://www.co.delaware.ny.us/depeartments/shrf/shrf.htm.