NEWS > 24 February 2006

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Times Herald-Record - Middleto
24 February 2006

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Sheriff to add integrity cop t

Goshen - If Orange County Sheriff Carl DuBois gets his way, Big Brother really will be watching over employees of the sheriff's office.

By hiring a so-called "program integrity officer," DuBois would establish what amounts to the 419-member agency's first internal affairs bureau. The sheriff says the move would protect the public and avoid the scandals that embarrassed the office in years past.

But some worry about the wide latitude the sheriff has requested for the officer, who would be authorized to conduct surveillance on staff and run surprise "integrity checks."

"We already have 300 cameras in the facility watching everything we do," said David Estrada, who heads the union that represents county correction officers. "Now do I have to worry about somebody sitting in my neighbor's driveway watching how I take the garbage out?"

Sheriff's officials say such fears are unfounded. Sheriff's departments in Erie, Monroe and Niagara counties all have separate internal affairs divisions, as do the state police and, of course, the New York City police.

While those agencies are decidedly larger, DuBois says the presence of a full-time integrity officer would merely codify internal controls his administration has enacted since he took office in 2003. The investigator would report directly to DuBois or Undersheriff Kenneth Jones, who now conducts internal investigations.

"The public holds police officers to a higher standard," Jones said. "They want rigid, strict discipline in police departments."

Funding to hire the $60,000-a-year integrity officer was added to the county budget last year. Two legislative committees have already agreed to fill the post.

Still, a least a few county lawmakers have expressed unease with the move and might try to block or amend the proposal when it comes before the full Legislature next week.

"It's just opening the door for an abuse of power," said Legislator Tom Pahucki, D-Town of Goshen. "I'd like a little more checks and balances."

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Article sourced from

Times Herald-Record - Middleto24 February 2006

Sheriff to add integrity cop t

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Times Herald-Record - Middleto
24 February 2006