CC Sheriff's Office history

1829 A new jail replaces the Onondaga Hill Jail.

1840 The first legal execution is conducted at the Salina St jail on November 19th.

The first sheriff in Oregon was Joseph Meek (pictured to the left), in 1843, whose jurisdiction was in the area of Washington County.

1846 The Sheriff’s Office becomes an elected post.

Forsyth County was founded on January 16, 1849 by the North Carolina Legislature.

From the years 1797 through 1865 there is a lapse in documentation of who was Sheriff during this time period.

The next recorded Sheriff was John Reily who held the Office of Sheriff until 1870.

In 1901, the first prisoner was moved into the new Jamesville facility.

R.S. Hattan, the 12th sheriff in Columbia County oversaw the only hanging, which was held on the back steps of the Columbia County Courthouse in 1902.

In 1910 N. H. McGeachy was elected to the Office of Sheriff in Cumberland County.

Sheriffs served two-year terms until 1914 when they began serving four-year terms.

1915 The position of Onondaga County Sheriff Deputy becomes a salaried position.

1917 About this time, the Cedar Street jail is opened and the Sheriff reassumes the role of Jailer.

Sheriff Jones was the last Sheriff to operate the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office out of the historic 1924 Courthouse on Gillespie Street.

1926 Sheriff Lewis Schriber forms the first complete organization of women deputy sheriffs, “Women Sheriff Corps.”. Each town was represented by one of the deputies who assisted in the courts and worked as juvenile officers.

1928 The Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office forms its first uniformed patrol.

1936 The Sheriff’s Office motorized patrols are equipped with “one-way” radios.

1938 It became legal for a sheriff to be elected for successive terms.

1939 The Cedar Street jail is renovated.

1947 In January, the Sheriff’s Office adopts military titles for rank.

Sheriff McGeachy served the County of Cumberland as Sheriff until 1950.

According to an article in the News and Observer of Raleigh printed on April 14, 1957, Sheriff Guy was a colorful Sheriff, if not a controversial one.

In 1958 W. G. Clark was elected Sheriff of Cumberland County.

During the mid-1960’s, the agency had three jailers, who also served as police radio operators.

1961 Sheriff Sarto Major introduced the six-point star shield. (It was introduced to Sheriff’s Departments across New York State in an effort to distinguish deputy sheriffs from municipal police.)

1964 Sheriff Patrick Corbett takes office and becomes the county’s first Democratic sheriff.

1967 Hat badges were discontinued when the Sheriff’s Office adopted a new uniform style.

The issue of a 20-year retirement for Deputy Sheriffs employed in a police capacity had been a controversial one across the state since the mid-1970’s.

1971 Sheriff Corbett proposes the 911 telephone emergency communication system, but the plan is rejected.

In 1972, construction of the Harford County Detention Center began on a piece of property just outside Bel Air.

The new facility, designed to hold 96 inmates, opened on March 31, 1973, with areas for males, females and juvenile offenders.

In 1975, the Sheriff’s Office moved to the new Law Enforcement Center on Dick Street, under Jones’ administration.

1977 The Sheriff’s Department relocates to a new headquarters at 407 South State Street.

During the 1980’s, the Sheriff’s Office law enforcement and correctional training facilities occupied the lower level of the building and provided in depth training, practical exercises, and certifications for agency members.

1982 The Sheriff’s Department establishes sub-stations around the county.

Sheriff Corbett proposes to take over the operation of the Jamesville Penitentiary and, in 1983, it is replaced by an adjacent site.

In 1985, major renovations converted storage and training space into four housing units for work release and weekender inmates.

Sheriff Jones died while in office in 1987.

The facility was named after the late Syracuse Police Officer Wallie Howard Jr., who was killed in 1989 during an undercover drug investigation.

In 1990, the indoor firing range was razed and a 24-bed direct supervision unit for work release inmates was constructed.

1991 Onondaga County appropriated $52,600,000 for the new Onondaga County Justice Center jail facility.

1992 The emergency 911 communications system is established.

In 1994, Earl R. Butler a well-known high school and college football star, and a District Supervisor with the North Carolina Department of Probation and Parole, was elected Sheriff of Cumberland County.

Sheriff Walsh and Undersheriff Darby served their first term in office in 1995.

1996 Sheriff Walsh adopts the black uniform for both the Police and Custody Departments.

On May 23, 1997, the facility once again grew to meet the needs of the County with the opening of a $10 million, 63,000 square foot, 172-bed expansion.

1999 The Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office becomes the first Sheriff’s Office in New York State to receive accreditation in the areas of Police, Custody, Civil, and Crime Lab.

2000 The Sheriff’s Office adopts a commemorative millennium era badge.

In 2001, the Sheriff’s Office was moved to its present location on Port Avenue, after the old jail – a 38-bed facility – was deemed to be too antiquated and inadequate for modern jail requirements.

2003 The web site for the Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office is developed by one of its employees, Julie Durham, an Account Clerk in Personnel, and launched in the beginning of 2003.

In 2014, voters staved off closure of the County Jail with the passage of an operating levy that helped keep the jail functioning at its 100 prisoner capacity.

After 22 years in office Sheriff Butler retired in December 2016.

On January 03, 2017, Ennis W. Wright was appointed Sheriff by County Commissioners with a unanimous vote.