Welcome
In his first three years in office Sheriff Van Blarcum has undertaken a number of significant initiatives to promote the safety and security of the residents of Ulster County as promised to the voters in 2006.
- Effectively manage the jail and the office budget to reduce spending.
- Create a comprehensive community policing program.
- Make community safer with better use of work force.
- Establish a countywide drug task force to combat drugs and gangs.
- Protect your family with a countywide sex offender location program.
In February 2007, after moving the Ulster County inmates into the new Law Enforcement Center, Sheriff Van Blarcum immediately petitioned the New York State Commissioner of Corrections to allow the facility to board in inmates from other counties. The transition into the new facility was completed flawlessly in less time than prescribed by the Commission of Corrections. Since 2007 the Sheriff’s Office has been able generate over $4,000,000 revenue for Ulster County with prisoner board ins.
In March 2007 the Sheriff started the first ever, Ulster countywide drug and gang task force (URGENT). Working with City of Kingston Police Chief Jerry Keller and Town of Ulster Police Chief Paul Watzka who each provided for full time members of the task force, and then with the Towns of Saugerties, Plattekill, New Paltz, Lloyd, Rosendale, Shandaken and the Ulster County District Attorney’s Office who all provided part-time members, an 18 member task force started working the streets of Ulster County. To date this highly successful team has initiated over 820 cases, making over 2,100 arrests including 1,300 felonies. Approximately $275,000 in US currency and several parcels of real property have been seized utilizing the federal seizure process.
To improve vital inter-agency Police communications throughout the County Sheriff Van Blarcum expanded the Ulster County Sheriff’s Office Mobile Data communication computer system which now operates in every police department in Ulster County free of charge. This system has greatly improved the efficiency and safety of all police officers throughout Ulster County. Agencies from Sullivan County have expressed interest in signing onto the system. The Town of South Fallsburg is already under contract on the system, generating revenue for Ulster County.
In January 2008, working with then recently retired District Attorney, now Ulster County Court Judge Donald Williams, a Public Nuisance Abatement Law was drafted and put into law in the City of Kingston. This law stiffened penalties and improved code enforcement with respect to absentee landlords and ongoing problem properties in the City. Under the new law the Ulster County Sheriff's Office, Kingston Police Department, Kingston Fire Department Building and Safety Division and the Kingston Corporation Counsel are charged with the investigation, enforcement and prosecution of situations deemed to be public nuisances.
Sheriff Van Blarcum has also dedicated personnel to an Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Unit which has been very successful in the apprehension of a dozen defendants who traveled to Ulster County planning to meet minors with the intent of engaging in sexual activity. Further the Sheriff’s Office has direct web information with sexual offender location maps. All of this has been accomplished in a cost-effective and efficient manner. The budgets prepared by Sheriff Van Blarcum’s administration have not exceeded approved budgeted dollars in the past 3 years. Sheriff’s Office revenues have exceeded projections each year. Grants obtained by the Sheriff’s Office have been dramatically increased as well during his tenure.
Over the past three years all three divisions of the Sheriff’s office: Corrections, Criminal and Civil have been re–accredited by New York State.
Needless to say Sheriff Van Blarcum acknowledges that these accomplishments would not have been realized without the commitment of the men and women of the Ulster County Sheriff’s Office and all of Ulster County Law Enforcement personnel. With the voters approval in November 2010, Sheriff Van Blarcum will continue this record of successes.