Sheriff reports on animal-abuse registry plans, supplemental patrols and multiple hires; equipment grant application approved

Sheriff Scott Cicero updated the committee on several operational matters, including support for a proposed animal-abuse registry, continued supplemental patrols for the village of Alfred, an equipment grant application, and multiple personnel fills approved by the legislature.

On an animal-abuse registry, Cicero said the primary challenges would be drafting the ordinance and creating the administrative framework. “The most difficult part of it other than drawing up the legislation which the County Attorney would have to do is just getting the framework and getting it started,” Cicero said. He said the sheriff’s office would operate the registry similarly to its sex-offender registry operations and assign staff to manage registration.

Committee members noted community interest and animal-rescue group support for a registry. Cicero said he believes the registry would be a useful oversight tool because there is “very much” ongoing animal abuse in Allegany County and “there is not very much oversight going forward after that criminal case.”

Cicero also described supplemental patrols provided to the village of Alfred when the village police department lacks staffing. He said the sheriff’s office provides assistance as available and that there is no formal contract or reimbursement from the village for those services. “Not regular patrol services. No. When there is need, when they don't have adequate patrol and we have somebody available, then we are assisting,” Cicero said. Committee members asked whether the village reimburses the county; the sheriff said, “Not that I'm aware of.”

The committee approved a grant application Cicero described as new to the department and expected to provide about $50,000 to upgrade equipment; Cicero said the grant carries no local match requirement. The motion to apply for the equipment grant passed by voice vote.

The legislature also approved a budget-transfer correction and several request-to-fill personnel actions that Sheriff Cicero said are in the budget: two deputy sheriff positions (vacancies from promotion and retirement), one deputy sergeant (promotion), one correction sergeant (vacant), and one corporal (vacant). Cicero said the department has candidates in training and an HR list for corrections officers and expects to fill the positions from that pipeline.

On jail population and staffing, Cicero reported a morning count of about 80 inmates and noted approximately 22 federal inmates boarded in the facility. He said about 20 laid-off state employees have expressed interest in local work but that hiring is constrained by decertification and lists that must be exhausted before certain hires can be made. He described the county’s corrections academy as an in-house program that lasts roughly three months and said the county covers academy costs for hires.

All motions mentioned in Cicero’s report were approved by voice vote with no recorded roll-call tallies in the public discussion.