Sheriff candidates argue for more cooperation
By ROB MONTANA THE EVENING TRIBUNE

Bath - Despite their differences of opinion about who'd be the better choice to run the Steuben County Sheriff's Department next year, the three Republican candidates can agree on at least one thing - more cooperation is needed among all public safety entities in the county.

Undersheriff Dave Cole, 59, said the most important issue is making sure everyone is working together.

"We need a stronger collaboration with the state police on the county drug enforcement team," he said. "One of the things sadly needed, from our review of drug enforcement over the years, is more teamwork with the state police on the county team."

Current Steuben County Chief Deputy Joel Ordway, 45, thinks the sheriff 's department has become disconnected from the public, and wants greater cooperation between all public safety agencies in Steuben County.

"I think we need to get back involved, and let the community know we are the community's sheriff 's department," he said. "My goal is to improve the quality of lives in Steuben County, and if we're going to do it we need to do it as a team, a group effort."

Chief among his cooperative hopes is better communication with fire departments throughout Steuben.

Jim Waight, 61, a former Maryland state trooper and now director of the Center for Dispute Settlement in Steuben County, also favors more cooperation between the sheriff's department and municipalities' public safety departments. He said the need is there for the department to work more within the community.

"We need to start creating teams within all police agencies in Steuben County to develop a better cohesive team through all of our public safety providers," Waight said. "That's not going on right now."

The three candidates will square off in a Republican primary in September.