Sheriff Niagara County

It’s become pretty fashionable these days to hate on police. I myself struggle with 2015 policing, not so much with the recent grand jury decisions and use of force, but with militarization and fourth amendment issues. That aside, I believe the Niagara County Sheriff’s Office is one of the finest police departments in the nation.
There are several reasons why I give high marks to Sheriff Voutour’s department. Firstly, these guys are professional. Rarely, if at all, have I seen a deputy violate the laws that they are sworn to protect. I can’t say the same for the Buffalo Police who I’ve seen many times speeding, running stop signs, etc., while not actively responding to a call. Sheriff deputies are very respectful of citizens and conduct themselves politely in every circumstance I’ve witnessed. The response time to incidents is also quite remarkable. Need a deputy on a scene? They’ll respond within minutes. This is quite a feat for a county as rural and sizable as Niagara.
All of the reasons listed above are pretty basic expectations. However, there are some really out-​of-​the-​box areas where they excel.
Virtual Ride-​A-​Longs: Periodically the Sheriff’s department will conduct virtual ride-​a-​longs via social media. They’ll post as calls come in, what car is being dispatched, describe the situation as it develops, and the outcome. Pretty cool and very transparent. As the night unfolds the Sheriff will respond to questions posted via Facebook.
Welfare Fraud: Sheriff Voutour has made it a priority since assuming office to combat welfare fraud and has set-​up a specialized unit to do so. There are frequent sting operations to combat this fraud and the results are posted via social media. We’re not talking a few dollars here. Last year along the department was able to recover close to a half million dollars. Outstandiing!
Community Involvement: It’s one thing to serve and protect but an entirely different task to get involved. The Sheriff has made it a priority to educate on the dangers of DUI, dangers of hard drug use, proper infant car seat installation, and general community outreach, including fundraising for those in need. They care about the community.
Politically, the department was one of the first in New York State to voice opposition to NY SAFE and are active supporters of the Second Amendment.
As a resident of Niagara County I’m very proud of our men and women in law enforcement. Keep up the good work!