Columbia County Sheriff's Office

For those who have been waiting to be processed for your pistol permit application, the Sheriff's Office is once again taking appointments. See image for additional dates and times in addition to our normally scheduled business hours. Please keep in mind that your application needs to be finalized, and the pistol safety course has to be successfully completed prior to scheduling your appointment. You may call 518-828-0601 x-1414 to schedule your appointment.

Germantown School Resource Deputy Participates in Schools Positivity Project- For the month of February, Germantown Central School (GCS) District Social Worker Renee Grzeskow, organized a positivity project in the school. A large dog kennel was left in the elementary school lobby and GCS families, students, and staff donated items throughout the month of February. Items sought were to be donated to the Columbia Greene Humane Society for the care and maintenance of the animal...s in their facility. We have a program here called the Positivity Project and the theme was generosity stated Deputy Blank. The dog in the picture is GCS’ therapy dog named Ziggy, he belongs to the school and Mrs. Grzeskow is his handler. The school community collected over 300lbs of donated dog and cat food, towels/blankets, toys, treats, cat litter, and cleaning supplies. Pictured are Deputy Blank and Ziggy the service dog, when they delivered the donations to the Humane Society on March 2nd, 2021. See more

Read Across America- Today as we celebrated Read Across America Day, School Resource Deputies visited classes in their respective schools and read to students. Books were chosen by the individual classes and were age appropriate for the grade level. Please enjoy the photos and let us know who your School Resource Deputy is....

Man arrested for bringing Drugs into Correctional Facility Sheriff David P. Bartlett reports that on 02/24/2021 at approximately 06:00am, Kent Stadtlander (30) of Hudson NY, was arrested on a warrant for bringing dangerous drugs into the Columbia County Correctional Facility. Stadtlander had come into the Columbia County Jail on 2/21/2021 to serve part of his intermittent sentence. During intake procedures, Stadtlander was found to be in possession of pills that were identi...fied as controlled substances and are prohibited in the correctional facility. Corrections personnel collected and secured the illegal contraband and preserved it for Law Enforcement Personnel, who took the case over. Charges were prepared for Stadtlander for Possession of a dangerous controlled substance in a detention center a class D felony, Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance 7th degree a class A misdemeanor, and Possessing a Controlled Substance not in its Original Container- a violation of the Public Health Law. A warrant was sought for Stadtlanders' arrest which was signed by Greenport Justice Sack. Stadtlander was taken into custody when he was released on his intermittent stay by Deputy Sheriff’s Michael Meier and Timothy Gladwin. After being processed, Stadtlander was arraigned before Stockport Town Justice Smalley and remanded to the Columbia County Jail with no bail. Stadtlander is scheduled to return to Greenport Town court for appearances and a hearing on 02/26/2021. I am very pleased at the job done by Correction Officers Casey Miller and Corrections Sergeant Scott Dallas. Their attention to detail and sharp eyes, were able to locate this contraband before it made it to the general population area of the jail. Their coordination with Sergeant Garvey of the road patrol, allowed for this case to lead to a solid arrest. stated Sheriff Bartlett. Members of this office working together, is the foundation of what this office is about. The seizing of these drugs prevented persons in a secure, safe environment the possibility of being exposed to or relapsing on these dangerous drugs. We have a zero tolerance for contraband in the Columbia County Jail. See more

Deputies Complete Law Enforcement Disability Awareness Training 02/25/2021 Sheriff David P. Bartlett is pleased to report that the first group of Deputy Sheriffs have successfully completed Law Enforcement Disability Awareness Training for this calendar year. This training is offered by the Division of Criminal Justice Services- Law Enforcement Training Unit, in partnership with the Niagara University of First Responders Disability Awareness Training Office. This is an eig...ht (8) hour virtual course whose topics include, but are not limited to, disabilities defined specific to law enforcement, the Recognize-Identify- Approach- Interaction- Response model, victimization/ abuse, the Americans with Disabilities Act, service animals, de-escalation strategies, and current trends and topics. This training is meant to sensitize and educate law enforcement officers on how to effectively identify, address, and respond to various disabilities they will encounter in their line of duty. This is a newer version of existing training many members of this office have already taken. My goal would be to have a member of my office trained to teach this topic, or to bring someone in house, so that I can have every member of the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office attend this training, said Sheriff David Bartlett. Disability awareness is a topic that personal to me, and I want to make sure the men and women of the Sheriff’s Office are equipped to properly address persons with disabilities. See more

Throwback Thursday- Todays throwback is a guy that had a birthday this week. If you see him, let him know you saw him here.

GUNS AND DRUGS LOCATED IN SEARCH WARRANTS Sheriff David P. Bartlett announces the execution of several search warrants that lead to the arrest of 5 individuals, along with the discovery of over 500 grams of cocaine and crack-cocaine, 4 handguns, heroin, ecstasy, marijuana, cash, and drug paraphernalia. These drugs have an estimated street value of over $50,000.00. The Columbia County Drug Enforcement and Education Unit (CCDEEU) executed multiple search warrants on individual...Continue reading

On October 23, 2020, Captain John DeRocha retired after 30 years of service with the Columbia County Sheriff's Office. Sheriff Bartlett would like to thank Captain DeRocha for his service and dedication to the people of Columbia County. We wish Captain DeRocha and his family the best, and he will be dearly missed. Captain DeRocha grew up in Copake, New York and is a 1987 graduate of the Taconic Hills School District and a 1990 graduate of the Zone 14 Police Academy. Captai...n DeRocha was hired at the Sheriff's office in 1990 as a Corrections Officer by then Sheriff James Bertram. From 1990 to 1995 he served part time as a Police Officer with the Copake Police Department. In 1995 he was assigned to the Law Enforcement Division as a Deputy Sheriff and in 2001 was promoted to Sergeant. In January 2014, he was appointed to Law Enforcement Division Captain by Sheriff David P. Bartlett. In addition to his years of service with the Sheriff's Office, Captain DeRocha is also a life member of the Copake Fire District. Captain DeRocha is a true "public servant".

Please join our Deputy Sheriffs for our annual "Trunk or Treat". This year, we will have Deputies out at several community events to hand out treats in a safe manner. Also, please take a look at the New York State Department of Health Halloween Safety Guidelines.

Germantown Central Schools started implementing the Dine with a Deputy program. Deputy Ted Blank will be visiting an Elementary classroom each day to eat lunch ...with students and become better acquainted with them. Today, Deputy Blank ate lunch with Mrs. Delamater's 1st graders. Students were excited to dine with Deputy Blank and looked forward to his arrival all day. Deputy Blank talked with students about littering, hobbies and even spiders! They're highly anticipating seeing Deputy Blank again for lunch. Students are doing a great job social distancing and wearing masks. Students are allowed to remove masks during meals, and their desks are sanitized after eating.

The Columbia County Sheriff’s Office joins North American rail-safety operation aimed at reducing preventable deaths and injuries on rail lines The Columbia County Sheriff’s Office is proud to be joining forces with first responder agencies in the U.S. and Canada today for Operation Clear Track the single largest rail-safety initiative in North America.... Coordinated by Amtrak, Operation Lifesaver Inc. and Operation Lifesaver Canada, Operation Clear Track aims to reduce the number of railway crossing and trespassing incidents in the U.S. and Canada incidents which seriously injure or kill more than 2,100 people each year. The event is held during the annual observance of Rail Safety Week, September 21-27. Every three hours in the United States, a person or vehicle is hit by a train. Our agency supports an annual effort to keep our communities and citizens safe around railroad tracks and trains, said Sheriff Bartlett. The goal of Operation Clear Track and Rail Safety Week is to raise awareness of the importance of safe behavior near tracks and trains, in support of OLI’s mission to save lives, said Operation Lifesaver, Inc. Executive Director Rachel Maleh. Because of the ongoing pandemic, first responder agencies will be participating in a virtual Operation Clear Track event this year. These agencies across North America will be promoting rail safety through social media messages, by sharing Operation Lifesaver’s #STOPTrackTragedies public service announcements and other videos, and by posting other rail safety information to their department websites. Participants will also be emphasizing the importance of obeying rail crossing and trespassing laws throughout Rail Safety Week. For more information about Rail Safety Week, Operation Clear Track, and other rail-safety initiatives and tips, please visit www.oli.org. About Operation Lifesaver Operation Lifesaver, Inc. is a nonprofit public safety education and awareness organization dedicated to reducing collisions, fatalities and injuries at highway-rail crossings and preventing trespassing on or near railroad tracks. A national network of trained volunteers gives free presentations on rail safety and a public awareness campaign, See Tracks? Think Train! provides tips and statistics to encourage safe behavior near the tracks. OLI leads an international observance of Rail Safety Week each September. Learn more about Rail Safety Week; follow OLI on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, Pinterest and YouTube.

The Troy Police Department is working closely with our federal partners to bring justice to Ayshawn Davis’ family. Please reshare, retweet, post on Instagram, ...send out in a text or email to anyone and everyone you know. We will not stop until the person(s) responsible for this heinous crime are brought to justice. -PBA President Nicholas Laviano

WE'RE HIRING! DEPUTY SHERIFF EXAM - APPLY BY AUGUST 10, 2018. We're seeking qualified candidates for the upcoming Deputy Sheriff Civil Service exam. Interested parties must complete an exam application by August 10, 2018. The test will be given on September 15, 2018. For additional information, download the exam announcement using the link below, or contact the Columbia County Civil Service Commission at 518-828-6622. EXAM ANNOUNCEMENT: https://docs.google.com/viewer

SHERIFF’S OFFICE INVESTIGATES FATAL ACCIDENT IN HILLSDALE Columbia County Sheriff David P. Bartlett reports that Sheriff's Patrols were dispatched by Columbia County 911 at approximately 12:34pm today to a one vehicle accident on State Route 22, just north of Hunt Road in the Town of Hillsdale. Deputy Sheriff's found that a 2014 Toyota Corolla, operated by 82 year old Albert R. Ahlstrom of Kingston NY, was traveling southbound on State Route 22 and for unknown reasons failed ...to negotiate a curve, crossing over to the east shoulder of the roadway striking an embankment and a set of trees where the vehicle came to rest. There was one passenger in the vehicle, 81 year old Joan E. Ahlstrom of Kingston NY. Both occupants were transported to Fairview Hospital by Community Rescue Squad. Mr. Ahlstrom was treated for chest pain and a cut to the right hand. Mrs. Ahlstrom was transported to the hospital where she was later pronounced dead. The accident is still under investigation by Sheriff's Deputies and Investigators. State Route 22 was closed for approximately 3 hours during the investigation. Community Rescue Squad and Hillsdale Fire Company assisted at the scene. Investigating for the Sheriff’s Office were Captain John DeRocha, Senior Investigator Kevin Skype, Investigator William Dunspaugh, Investigator Reagan Anderson, Investigator Ian Boehme, First Sergeant Louis Bray, Deputy Joseph Kilmer, and Deputy Cindy Madison.

MANDATORY 518 DIALING STARTS Saturday, August 19th Good morning everyone. Saturday, August 19th is the day where the 518 area code will be mandatory when dialin...g local calls. You should reprogram all of your local contacts and add the 518 area code to their respective numbers. If you don't do this, you will receive a message that states: "Please check the number and dial again, your call can not be completed at this time." This is because the new 838 area code will go into service today. The 838 code will be assigned to new lines only. Three digit calls such as 911 emergency calls will remain the same.

SHERIFF’S OFFICE INVESTIGATES PERSONAL INJURY ACCIDENT IN CLAVERACK Columbia County Sheriff David P. Bartlett reports that on July 15th, 2017 at approximately... 4:20am, Sheriff’s Deputies were dispatched by Columbia County 911 to a one vehicle accident on County Route 11, near Mc Brown Road in the Town of Claverack. Deputies found that a 2002 Saturn, operated by 29 year old Martin Rollins of Copake NY, was traveling north on County Route 11 when his vehicle left the east shoulder of the roadway first striking a large boulder than continued on striking several trees prior to coming to rest on its side. Mr. Rollins was able to exit his vehicle prior to emergency services arrival. Mr. Rollins was transported to Albany Medical Center by Greenport Rescue Squad assisted by Chatham Rescue Squad Paramedics, at this time Mr. Rollins is listed as Stable at Albany Medical Center. Mr. Rollin was the only occupant of the vehicle. At this time, the investigation is continuing and the Sheriff Office is looking at speed as a major contributing factor for the accident. County Route 11 was closed for approximately 2 hours during the investigation. On scene was Philmont Fire Department and Greenport Rescue Squad. Chatham Rescue Squad Paramedics assisted with patient transportation. Investigating for the Sheriff’s Office at the scene was Sheriff David Bartlett, Captain John DeRocha, Investigator William Dunspaugh, Deputy Ted Blank, Deputy Thomas Merante, Deputy Joseph Bruno and Deputy David Stevens. See more

MARYLAND BANK ROBBER CAPTURED IN COLUMBIA COUNTY Columbia County Sheriff David P. Bartlett reports that Sheriff’s Investigators arrested 44 year old Christi Dia...ne Slade of no permanent address on Fugitive From Justice charges stemming from a bank robbery that occurred in the State of Maryland. The Washington County Sheriff’s Office located in the State of Maryland, contacted the Criminal Investigative Branch of the Sheriff’s Office early in the day on June 22nd, 2017 and requested assistance with a bank robbery case that occurred within their jurisdiction on June 20th, 2017. During the course of the Washington County Investigation they were able to name Christi Diane Slade as a suspect in the robbery and in fact issued a warrant for her arrest on robbery and theft charges. Washington County Detectives had reason to believe that Ms Slade may have either visited or will visit an inmate in the Columbia County Jail and requested assistance in locating and arresting her. On June 22, 2017 at approximately 2:05pm, Ms Slade was apprehended by Columbia County Investigators while at the Columbia County Public Safety Facility without incident. Investigators were also able to locate a vehicle that was believed to have been used in the commission of the robbery and impounded it on behalf of Washington County. On June 26th, 2017, Detectives from Washington County Sheriff’s Office travelled to Columbia County to further investigate the robbery case. In conjunction with Columbia County Investigators a search warrant was obtained and executed on the vehicle in question with proceeds from the robbery being recovered. The search warrant was signed by the Honorable Judge Richard Koweek of the Columbia County Court. Ms Slade was interviewed by investigators and made admissions not only as to her involvement in the robbery in Maryland, but also to a recent bank robbery that occurred in the State of Georgia. Both Agencies have been in contact with Georgia Officials and a warrant of arrest has been issued for Ms. Slade by the Banks County Georgia Sheriff’s Office. Investigating from the Sheriff’s Office was Senior Investigator Kevin Skype and Investigators Brahm, Logue, Anderson and Dunspaugh. Columbia County District Attorney Paul Czajka’s Office also assisted in the case. On the date of arrest Ms. Slade was charged with being a Fugitive From Justice and was arraigned before the Honorable Judge Michael Brandon in the Town of Claverack Court and was remanded to the Columbia County jail on no bail. She is to be back in court on a later date for extradition proceedings.

Operation Blue Hammer strikes at Columbia County drug dealers. Columbia County Sheriff David P. Bartlett reports that on Wednesday, July 5th, 2017, a multi...-agency operation into illegal drug trafficking in Columbia County resulted in the arrest of eight individuals. Uniformed and Plain clothed officers from the City of Hudson Police Department, the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, and the New York State Police executed Superior Court arrest warrants along with local warrants targeting mid-level drug dealers in Columbia County. The warrants are the result of a more than six month long investigation conducted by members of all agencies involved. Additionally, agents from DEA Albany, DEA New York City, CNET Capital, Albany County Sheriff’s Office, Bethlehem Police Department, as well as members of the Coumbia County Probation Office all assisted in Operation Blue Hammer. Columbia County District Attorney Paul Czajka and his office were a part of this case from the beginning. The following individuals were arrested as a result of this operation: Clayton Rathbone, age 51 of Selkirk, N.Y. was charged with one count of Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the third degree, a class B Felony. He was arraigned in front of Hudson City Court Judge Connor and remanded to the Columbia County Jail, $5,000.00 bail. Damian Hernandez lll, age 20, of 107 Green Street, Hudson, N.Y. was charged with three counts of Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the third degree, all class B Felonies. He was arraigned in front of County Court Judge Nichols and remanded to the Columbia County Jail, no bail. Donna J. VanAlstyne, age 53, of 525 State Street, Hudson, N.Y. was charged with three counts of Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the third degree, all class B Felonies. She was arraigned in front of County Court Judge Nichols and remanded to the Columbia County Jail, no bail. Fred L. Collins, age 59, of 217 Robinson Street, Hudson, N.Y. was charged with two counts of Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the third degree, both class B Felonies. Arraigned in front of County Court Judge Nichols and remanded to the Columbia County Jail, no bail. Richard L. Colwell, age 42, of 227 Columbia Street, Hudson N.Y. was charged with two counts of Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the third degree, both class B Felonies. He was arraigned in front of County Court Judge Nichols and remanded to the Columbia County Jail, no bail. Samuel A. McGriff, age 34, of Schoharie Turnpike, Catskill, N.Y. was charged with three counts of Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the third degree, all class B Felonies. He was arraigned in front of County Court Judge Nichols and remanded to the Columbia County Jail, no bail. Andre A. Moma, age 21, of 1159 East 80th St, Brooklyn NY was charged with three counts of Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the third degree, all class B Felonies. He was arraigned in front of County Court Judge Koweek and remanded to the Columbia County Jail, no bail. A seventeen year old from Hudson was also arrested and charged with three counts of Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the third degree, all class B felonies. Sheriff Bartlett stated: "This investigation was a huge success. Interagency cooperation, superior police work and enthusiastic police officers netted several dealers who were spreading poison throughout our community. Federal, state, county and local police agencies working together is a must. Information sharing makes our community a safer place for everyone. We will continue to aggressively target and pursue anyone dealing or distributing narcotics. We will use any and all resources at our disposal to complete our cases." Chief Moore- "HPD will be have a continued strategy to work cooperatively with other agencies. I am grateful to Sheriff Bartlett and his willingness to work with us, provide the assets needed to target and successfully prosecute these very despicable, remorseless, crack and heroin peddlers." The investigation is continuing and more arrests are pending.

SHERIFF SEEKS PUBLIC'S ASSISTANCE WITH RECENT DRUG ACTIVITY Columbia County emergency responders were kept busy this weekend responding to a rash of heroin rela...ted incidents across the county. The sudden increase in overdoses is likely due to a particularly potent batch of heroin hitting area streets. We’ve seen quite a spike in activity the past 48 hours, said Columbia County Sheriff David P. Bartlett. "We’re working collectively with our local, state, and federal partners to share information and coordinate a response. The Sheriff encouraged anyone who may witness a friend or family member suffering from a heroin overdose, to not wait and call for help immediately. We want people to call for help, said Sheriff Bartlett. We aren’t looking to lock people up who are calling to help someone. They’re protected by Good Samaritan, and we encourage them to do the right thing and call 911. The Good Samaritan Law exempts persons suffering from an overdose, and witnesses calling for help, from arrest and prosecution for possession and/or being under the influence of drugs. The Sheriff asked anyone with tips related to drug activity to call the Sheriff’s Office Crime Tips Hotline at 518-822-8477. Tips may also be submitted online at www.columbiacountysheriff.us/crime-tips. Reports are kept confidential, and those providing information may do so anonymously.