Sheriff and fire officials report higher call volumes, drug seizure and planned switch to 9mm duty weapons

Greene County public safety officials reported monthly service totals, a county narcotics arrest following a search-warrant seizure and plans to replace deputies’ duty weapons with 9mm pistols purchased with federal seized-asset funds.

In an oral report during the Public Safety portion of the meeting, officials said the sheriff’s office handled 662 calls for service, 529 traffic stops and a monthly jail population that rose from 42 to 45 between June 1 and June 30. The office also reported 125 civil accounts handled, 80 civil papers served, 304 traffic tickets issued, 21 traffic-accident investigations, 80 arrests and 11 driving-while-intoxicated-related arrests in the month cited.

Investigators, working with the district attorney’s office, executed a search warrant in the town of Catskill that yielded an alleged quantity of crack cocaine (reported in the transcript as approximately 40 grams), U.S. currency and led to two arrests on charges described as criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree with intent to sell and criminal possession in the third degree for possession of alleged Class B substances. The transcript records the arrests but not the subsequent court outcomes.

Officials also said the county will present a resolution — expected at an upcoming Legislature meeting — to purchase new duty weapons chambered in 9mm. The purchase was described as being funded from federal seized assets rather than the county’s operating budget; no purchase price was provided. The report noted Glock had discontinued the department’s former model and offered a trade-in program for the newer pistols.

Fire and emergency services updates included mutual-aid and hazmat activity (a recent mutual-aid call into Columbia County, Hillsdale), delivery and upcoming activation of a cascade system, completion of training courses with all students reported to have passed, and ongoing participation in youth fairs and the 9‑1‑1 program speaker schedule. A dispatcher-training rollout and public outreach at community events were also mentioned.

No formal votes or budget allocations for the reported items were recorded during the meeting. Officials said a resolution to purchase replacement duty weapons is anticipated at a future legislative meeting; funding is stated to come from federal seized assets.