The patrol division of the Sheriff's Office is currently under the command of Road Patrol Commander Captain Ronald G. Lott Jr. This division includes one lieutenant, four sergeants and 16 deputy sheriff's who perform the day to day patrol of the county. The patrol division is the most visible section of the Sheriff's Office.
The Sheriff's Patrol Division is one of the most visible services in the office. Uniformed Deputies have provided police services throughout all of the towns and villages of Cattaraugus County for almost 200 years. Patrol Deputies are servants of the people, responsible for the protection of life and property and prevention of crime, detention and arrest of suspects, preservation of public peace, and regulation of traffic. The Sheriff's Patrol Division handled 16,370 calls in 2011.
Highly trained officers provide vital services to the citizens of Cattaraugus County. Deputies on the patrol division work fixed shifts, 7:30 am to 4:00 pm, 3:30 pm to 12:00 am, 11:30 pm to 8:00 am, assignment is based on seniority. A Sheriff's Captain and Lieutenant supervise each day shift; afternoon and midnight shifts are supervised by two Sergeants. Patrol Deputies also have opportunities to become members of specialty units such as the Agency's Special Response Team, Hostage Negotiation team, Accident Reconstruction unit, and police instructors at the law enforcement academy.
Twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, the members of the patrol division perform a variety of duties, including investigations of minor crimes, preliminary investigations of more serious crimes for follow-up by the detective division, routine traffic patrol and vehicle and traffic law enforcement, accident investigations, transport of prisoners to and from the county jail, and service of warrants, civil process, and family court papers.
The patrol division actively embraces the theories and concepts of Community Policing. Many members of the Sheriff's Office have advanced specialized training in the concepts of community policing. Members conduct public presentations and attend meetings to address concerns of local citizens and offer the assistance of the Sheriff's Office in solving local problems.
Special Details and Assignments within the Patrol Division
- DWI and Traffic Enforcement
- Marine/Navigation Unit
- Snowmobile Unit
- Court Security