Editor:

It is a blessing to teach and learn more about world religions. When you take the time to inquire of others’ beliefs you find that almost every tradition includes extremes; literalist, fundamentalists, as well as moderate and progressive people of faith. Christianity and Islam are no exception.

As we stand vigil against terrorism as a nation, so should we have zero tolerance for those who terrorize in the name of Jesus.

Rev. Lori Staubitz
Unitarian Universalist minister
Brockport

Editor:

I am a police sergeant and have lived in this community for the past 23 years. My employer does not allow me to make political endorsements however I am able to state facts.

Public safety is the most important aspect for a community. That goes part and parcel with professional service from our law enforcement officers. Look closely at the candidates and judge for yourself their qualifications because quite frankly the buck stops at the sheriff’s desk.

The undersheriff and chief deputy jobs are integral to the operation but the sheriff must have the requisite skills and experience to make important decisions and as well as to lead the organization. Throughout my career I have watched unqualified people being elevated to upper management positions. Without exception it has always ended with disastrous consequences for both the agencies and the communities.

If you ran your own campaign would you self promote or sling mud at your opponent? This truly speaks to character and a key tenet of law enforcement is integrity. You have it or you don’t. There is no middle ground.

I have much respect for my police union. They have negotiated my contracts, represented me admirably when I needed them and fought for my rights. With that being said they have not always represented my beliefs.

Police unions are run by elected officials that have the final say. Do not believe four union officials represent the views of the entire union or at times even the majority. It would be like saying the current president and vice president of the United States represent my views on Iran and Immigration Reform when in reality they don’t.

We, as a community, have a very important job on Sept. 10 and Nov. 3. We have a direct hand in what the Orleans County Sheriff’s Office will look like for at least the next four years. Look at the facts and judge for yourself, but most importantly get out and vote.

Brett Sobieraski
Kent

Editor:

I just read with interest the letter to the Hub authored by Deputy James DeFilipps. Interest and Shock!

In sum and substance – Deputy DeFilipps references the horrible treatment he received from the “upper management” of the Sheriff’s Office following the events of March 21, 2015. Since I am part of the “upper management” he refers to, I felt the need to respond.

When Jim DeFilipps was shot, Chief Tom Drennan could NOT have been more supportive of Jim and his family in the hours and days following the incident. Jim was given all the time he needed to recover before returning to duty. He was never pressured to come back to work and EVERY “upper management” decision concerning his return to service was made with HIS input.

For him to now say otherwise by telling blatant lies is nothing more than a despicable and deplorable act in an effort to get his candidate, Randy Bower, elected Sheriff.

If Jim was treated so poorly, why was it NOT brought to the attention of myself or the Sheriff months ago? Why are we just now reading about it in the Orleans Hub? I’ll tell you why, because NOW it can be turned into a partisan political issue.

It’s shameful and not worthy of any reasonable individual’s consideration!

Steven D. Smith
Undersheriff of Orleans County

Editor:

For the past 33 years, every year at the end of summer, I have attended the St. Rocco’s Italian Festival in Hulberton. I have always loved going there and seeing family, friends and neighbors all enjoying great food and each other’s company.

In years past you could barely walk through the festival grounds without bumping into someone, literally. It always had outstanding attendance. It was a great fundraiser for St. Mary’s Catholic Church. Patrons came from near and far to enjoy and support it. Sadly, what I saw yesterday was quite the contrary.

As anticipated, if you weren’t there to support Randy Bower’s campaign or to play in the bocce tournament, then you had little reason to attend. A church fundraiser had seemingly been hijacked and turned into a pep rally for Randy Bower trying to be Sheriff.

I would say a fair estimate would be 85 percent of the people at the festival were wearing some type of Bower propaganda. That’s overwhelming for any non-supporters or neutral attendees. I would attribute the seemingly low numbers in attendance to this. It was not a capacity crowd as it once was. And one could just feel how those not wearing a Bower T-shirt were slightly uncomfortable.

I know that parishioners of St. Mary’s voiced concerns to Father Mark about this possibly happening, fearful that it may taint the meaning and purpose of the event. Mr. Bower is also a parish member of St. Mary’s. I can’t speak for him or his campaign, but it would appear that his personal agenda took precedence over his parish’s wishes and his community’s yearly end of summer event. That’s too bad.

For citizens unattached to the Bower campaign, it became an “eat and leave” environment, when it used to be a “stay all day” event. I’m sure people from the Bower camp did stay all day however. It had become their private party after all.

I also know several people from Orleans County that said they would not attend this year, expecting it to be a campaign rally for Randy Bower and not the family-friendly environment it historically has been. That’s not to say the Bower campaign isn’t family oriented. I’m just acknowledging that a political event is not where most people unassociated with a campaign want to spend the last Sunday of the summer with their kids. And thus, many did not.

I personally was unsure how the crowd would look when I arrived. I was hoping to wear the typical Green, Red and White of Italian pride like my Grandmother would have liked. But when I saw the Bower contingent I knew it was no longer the Italian Festival of old. I threw on my “Drennan For Sheriff” T-shirt and proudly entered the event. I was at a pep rally after all, and I’m rooting for the other team.

My mother and I spent some time together there for a little while, donated some food and money, then left. It just wasn’t what it should have been.

The shirt I wore yesterday clearly stood for something more than just a candidate for Sheriff. It stood for honor and integrity. Here’s why: Republican-endorsed candidate Tommy Drennan did make an appearance at St. Rocco’s and spoke to people privately without drawing attention away from the church’s efforts. That’s an appropriate and professional way to handle a public event. I’m proud of him for that.

I feel sorry for St. Mary’s. They lost control of their major fundraiser to a private citizen seeking public office. As I heard one patron say while exiting with his family, not having spent a dime. “All good things must come to an end.”

Hopefully next year, the festival can get back to being the community event it used to be and not someone’s campaign stomping grounds.

Todd R. Smith
Churchville
Proud son of current Orleans County Undersheriff Steven D. Smith

Editor:

What an asset it would be to have Tom Drennan as the next sheriff of Orleans County. Tom has worked his way up through the ranks, obtaining real time, real life, down in the trenches experiences, at every level of law enforcement.

He has held and/or holds the professional positions of Road Patrol, Lieutenant, Criminal Investigator, Major, and his current position of Chief Deputy. The added benefit of holding these positions, throughout his career, is that all of the knowledge, training, experiences and responsibilities of each, both administratively and in the real life trenches of crime, and the knowledge that ensues, allows him to understand, direct and fully participate (if need be) at any level, and at any type of incident, be it accident or criminal.

Along with his professional experiences and career positions, Tom has continually taken training classes to further his knowledge and understanding in regards to crime, victims and families: *Rural Police Academy *Drug Enforcement Investigation *Commercial Vehicle Drug Interdiction *Investigation of Environmental Crimes *Police Supervision Training *Crisis Negotiations *Child Sex Abuse Training *Criminal Investigation School *Emergency Response to Terrorism Awareness *Hazardous Material Awareness *Advanced Techniques in Accident investigation *Crime Scene Photography *Police Crime Scene and Evidence Specialist *DNA Collection as it Pertains to Burglary Investigations

*Personnel Back Ground Investigations *Fire Behavior and Arson Awareness *Arson Investigations-Level I *Instructor Development *Computer Crime Investigations *Flying Armed-Fugitive Extraditions *Human Trafficking *Cold Case Investigations *Impact of Legal Decisions on Law Enforcement *Colonel Henry F. William Homicide Investigation School *Combatting Illegal Handguns *Legal Issues for Today’s Law Enforcement *Professional Development and Internal Investigations *Identification Procedures of Criminal Suspects *Leadership and Police Management *Homicide and Non-Fatal Shooting Investigations *Missing Person Investigation and Alert Protocol *Traumas of Law Enforcement-Dealing with a Line of Duty Death *Law Enforcement Active Shooter Emergency Response *Police Pursuit Policy Workshop *Valor Officer Safety Training *Instructor Tactical Emergency Casualty Care for Law Enforcement *NYS Field Information Officer Coordinator Training.

In any scenario, both investigation wise or in an active situation happening in real time, Tom’s experience and knowledge is both advantageous and critical. This level of experience and training cannot be obtained “overnight” and it acknowledges the level of professionalism Tom has, and the dedication and passion he has for the well being and safety of co-workers, and the people of our county.

He is the type of person to go above and beyond what is required, and he will lead the Sheriff’s Department with the same professionalism, passion, compassion and integrity.

Sincerely,

Mike and Julia Kludt
Kendall

Editor:

Since Chief Deputy Drennan stated, “Don’t take my word for it. Ask someone else who was there. Someone that knows the facts,” in his Sept. 1 letter to the editor, I have been bombarded with text messages and phone calls.

I am someone else who was there, someone who knows the facts. I am James DeFilipps, and I was the one who was shot in the line of duty in the early hours of March 21, 2015 in the Town of Clarendon.

I suffered a severe traumatic injury, the extent of which was unknown at that time, and was of serious concern to the ambulance’s on-board medic. As the ambulance was in route to the hospital, (further along than 2 tenths of a mile), the medic told me that my supervisor (Drennan) had ordered the ambulance to return to the scene. The reason was so pictures could be taken of my vest, all the while valuable time was wasted with regards to receiving prompt medical attention I may have needed.

Just about an hour later my wife was notified of the incident, which occurred less than 3 miles from our home. When they did come to our home they came in an unmarked, unrecognizable car which made my wife nervous to even go to the door.
To make it worse, after telling my wife that I had been shot and was taken to Strong Hospital, she was left alone to get her and our 10-month-old son ready to go to the hospital.

Not only was having the ambulance turn around an error in judgment, the mishandling of this incident continued throughout my recovery period. My Worker’s Compensation was cancelled a few days after the incident because the Chief did not complete the necessary paperwork.

On another occasion during my recovery period, I stopped by the office on a Tuesday, only to find a Grand Jury subpoena in my mailbox that was for Thursday – just 2 days away. I never received a phone call or delivery of a letter to notify me of the subpoena, which would be expected. Furthermore, while I was relieved to be acquitted by the Grand Jury, I was disappointed to have been made aware of the decision by reading it on the Orleans Hub.

During this sensitive time for me and my family, we were disgusted that no one in the upper management of the Sheriff’s Office had the thought and consideration to reach out to me personally. It should have not come as a surprise to my family and I.

I was also called during this incident to ask me why I had not gone to an appointment for an evaluation of my mental health, so I could return to work. As you may have guessed, I was never even notified of the appointment. I was then given a number and told to schedule my own.

It is this blatant disregard for me, my co-workers, and our families that is the reason why I believe there needs to be a change in the upper management of the Sheriff’s Office. The time is now.

This truly has been one of the worst incidents of my life and continues to be. I was down and out, recovering and trying to spend much needed time with my family. I don’t think I should have had to worry about all this, which only created extra stress.

I guess if you want to call me disgruntled that is your choice, but this is how I feel. The Sheriff’s Office’s handling of this has only left me more empty and hurt. It has been a lot harder to put my uniform on every night and go into work since this.

The community has been great and Sheriff’s Office could be too, but it is in need of change. This is why I trust and support Randy Bower for our next Sheriff. Join me in voting Randy Bower for Orleans County Sheriff on Thursday, Sept. 10 in the Republican Primary.

Compassion matters.

James DeFilipps
Holley

Editor:

As a lifelong resident of this county and one who has voted for Sheriff Scott Hess, I would like to know exactly where he is?

Although Hess’s tenure as sheriff of Orleans County is coming to an end, I believe he is still in charge of the department. It concerns me that he seems to be sitting idly by while his employees – namely dispatchers, deputies, corrections officers as well as community members – are attacking the department and his undersheriff and chief deputy.

I do believe that as the sheriff, Hess must give his “OK” to the goings on in the department. This means he is aware of how everything is handled and condones and agrees with it.

In my opinion it is time for him to speak out, and take some of the heat and defend his most trusted in command. How can he sit by while the characters and careers of Undersheriff Steve Smith and Chief Deputy Tom Drennan are under attack on a daily basis?

Sheriff Hess it’s time for you to stand by your men as they have stood by you.

Maryann LeStorti Smith
Holley

Editor:

As an individual that has close friends and other direct ties to the community of the World Sufi Foundation, I can say that I have been deeply concerned over the past couple of days.

The three individuals that burned the cross into the ground should have been arrested immediately. Instead, they are able to enjoy the long weekend and carry on with their normal weekend plans.

Do you know who can’t carry on with their normal weekend plans? Every single member in the World Sufi community. Instead, they have to worry about what violent acts are going to be carried out against them next, and if the violence will escalate to something worse.

Again, I am deeply concerned with how law enforcement leaders in our county handled this situation. I saw someone make an excellent point, and I couldn’t agree more with it: “If someone had burned the Muslim religious symbol into the ground of a local Christian church, there would have been an immediate and thorough investigation to find the ‘terrorist’ responsible.”

I am sure that some people might disagree with that comment, but I can say that I 100 percent agree with that statement AND in reality, it’s a fact. I’m not sure why the three individuals did what they did, but I hope that law enforcement leaders can get to the bottom of things and treat it as it is – a hate crime.

As to the World Sufi Foundation – thank you for all of the good that you do in our local communities. Your positive impact doesn’t stop here, it stretches to different countries all over the world and it doesn’t go unnoticed.

I hope to see you all continue to stand strong and keep pushing forward in this tough time, many of us stand behind you and stand with you.

James White
Gaines
Legislator At-Large candidate

Editor:

I guess what is reported as “vandalism” regarding the mosque having crosses burnt on its property feels more like a serious hate crime.

Imagine if a Muslim had burnt symbols on the lawn at any Christian church. These youngsters “under 21” make me ashamed to be an American.

Deborah Rodrigues
Medina

Editor:

I have had the pleasure of knowing Tom Drennan for over 30 years and I’ve had the added privilege of working with him since 2003.

Tom Drennan is a veteran law enforcement officer with 23 years of distinguished service. He has dedicated his entire career to the Orleans County Sheriff’s Office and the citizens of this county.

His experience and expertise in law enforcement and the criminal justice system are superior. He has served in many different positions within the Sheriff’s Office before achieving his current rank of Chief Deputy Sheriff, the third highest official within the organization. The leadership skills that Tom has attained as Chief Deputy have more than adequately prepared him for the office he now seeks.

Chief Drennan has been directly involved in numerous high-profile investigations throughout his career. He has received numerous commendations from superior officers, as well as letters of appreciation from citizens. He has always been a strong advocate for crime victims and their families. His demeanor with citizens and suspects alike has always been calm and respectful.

As a Law Enforcement Supervisor, Chief Drennan has always followed the same basic philosophy: Do Your Job.and Expect to be Held Accountable When You Don’t. That’s a fairly straightforward principle, and may be the reason that some of his subordinates choose to support the challenger.

During the campaign, I’ve heard more than a couple of people say that “The Sheriff Doesn’t Need to be Qualified.” I have to say that, in my 42 years in the law enforcement profession, that is perhaps the most ridiculous statement I have ever heard.

If your home needed repairs, you would certainly want your contractor to be qualified. If you needed an operation, you would absolutely want your surgeon to be qualified. Why then would you settle for anything less from your elected Sheriff?

Finally – some people seem to be overly concerned about the fact that Tom Drennan has not yet named his choice for Undersheriff. Let’s keep our eyes on the ball folks!

The goal here is to elect the best qualified candidate for SHERIFF of Orleans County. That’s where everyone’s focus should be. It’s not a popularity contest. It’s not about who has the most signs. It’s not about who the Undersheriff will be. It’s not about disgruntled employees, past or present. It shouldn’t be decided on social media.

I am proud to endorse Tom Drennan for Sheriff of Orleans County. I sincerely believe he has earned and deserves the support of all of us on Sept. 10 and Nov. 3.

Steve Smith
Holley

Editor’s note: Mr. Smith is undersheriff of the Orleans County Sheriff’s Office.

Editor:

As an individual who is about to complete a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice Administration, I must say that, in none of my coursework was it advocated to publicly demean one’s subordinates, as Steve Smith did in his letter to the editor in support of Tom Drennan, that appeared on the Orleans Hub on Sept. 5.

While Mr. Smith is a decent man, his letter serves as a misguided form of campaign rhetoric at the expense of the hard-working employees of the Sheriff’s Department. In the letter he attempts to paint the picture that Drennan’s subordinates are afraid to be held accountable and reluctant to do their jobs.

If we are to believe that this is true, then why should Drennan, who is currently their supervisor, be promoted? Has he been serving in this supervisory role while his subordinates fail to respond under his leadership for 12 years? If this is the case then it would be reasonable to believe that, contrary to Mr. Smith’s claims, Drennan does not have the leadership skills to adequately prepare him to be sheriff.

It is also convenient, easy, and ignorant to just brush off any criticism of Drennan by employees past and present, by labeling them as “disgruntled.” Clearly there must be a disconnect somewhere between the current management and both unions, which overwhelmingly support Randy Bower.

Are we to believe that all these Sheriff’s Department employees are disgruntled or is it because they don’t share the same opinion as Mr. Smith? Perhaps Mr. Smith himself is disgruntled. Perhaps the men and women (who work with both Drennan and Bower) just simply prefer Bower because they care about the department and trust Bower in leading it into the future.

You would not promote a coach who has lost the attention of his players, so why would you elect an individual who has lost the respect of his subordinates? Letters like Mr. Smith’s only serve to further drive a wedge between management and the employees.

Positive change is so desperately needed in the Sheriff’s Department and that is the reason why the employees by and large endorse Randy Bower for sheriff. Search “Randy Bower for Sheriff” on Facebook to learn more about what is possible if you vote for Randy Bower in the Republican Primary on Sept. 10.

Chris Caufield
Holley

Editor:

With the Republican Primary almost upon us, I thought I would share my thoughts on the race for sheriff of Orleans County. I have known Randy Bower my whole life and feel he is the best man for the job. Anyone who listens to him for just five minutes would know he is passionate about this position.

While there may have been what some people consider mudslinging this past week, let’s be honest, it started months ago on social media sites by some people who don’t even live in this county and have no stake in the outcome of this election.

I am a resident of Orleans County and I do have a stake in this election. I’ve read and heard several things by supporters of Drennan about Randy, and there were quite a few comments that were very disturbing to me. The people saying these things should be ashamed of themselves.

Tom Drennan is running with the campaign slogan “Experience Matters”. While I would never diminish his 23 years of service for this county, experience isn’t the only thing that matters.

Frankly, I think many of the people of this county have forgotten that not too long ago we had a sheriff, Dave Green, who came into that office with zero police experience. I think he was a terrific sheriff and would be hard pressed to find many who would disagree with me.

Randy will be a breath of fresh air for this county. He is passionate, well informed, willing to go the extra mile for anyone, and does not make empty promises. Randy, along with Chris Bourke, make up a winning team.

I know in my heart Randy is the best man for the job and would be very proud to see him elected Sheriff of Orleans County.

Don’t forget all you Republicans to get out and vote on Thursday, Sept. 10. Voting starts at noon.

Margo Passarell
Holley

Editor:

With all the excitement about the Republican primary election (Sept. 10), one might get the impression that there are only two candidates for sheriff. The Republican primary will decide whether Randy Bower or Tom Drennan gets the Republican line on the ballot for Orleans County Sheriff. Thinking that the winner of the Sept. 10 primary will be the next sheriff is just one misconception.

It is the November general election, not the Sept. 10 Republican primary, that will actually determine who becomes Orleans County’s next sheriff. Randy Bower will be on the November ballot on the Conservative line regardless of how he fares in the Republican primary. Tom Drennan will be on the Independence and Reform lines whether he wins the Republican primary or not.

The candidate with the most law enforcement experience isn’t running in the Republican primary. The candidate with far more experience than either of the Republicans – and experience does matter – is Don Organisciak. Organisciak is the Democrat who – unlike Tom and Randy – is not connected to the Orleans County Sheriff’s Department. Don will be on the November ballot on Row A.

Don Organisciak retired as an investigator after 30 years with the Medina Police Department. His experience exceeds that of either of his rivals.

Is the fact that Don has no connection with the Orleans County Sheriff’s Department an advantage in this election? One of his rivals enjoys considerable support among the rank and file members of the Sheriff’s Department. The other has impressive endorsements and is the Orleans County Republican Party’s choice.

The support within the department dynamic is fascinating and reminds me of the widespread support our vice-principal in Kendall enjoyed among the high school faculty familiar with him. In this particular case, most of us wanted him to be principal for no other reason than we respected his fairness and ability. The Board of Education decided to bring in someone from “outside.” Unlike the manner in which principals are chosen, in theory, sheriffs are elected, not appointed. The choice is yours.

Most primary elections in Orleans County are won by the endorsed Republican. The endorsed Republican ordinarily wins the November general election. Elections in Orleans County are too often a formality. Elections here usually rubber stamp the choice of Republican power brokers.

It amazes me how many times I have been asked about the sheriff’s race. My view is that we have a real choice this year. The choice, to me, is from among three qualified, decent, experienced candidates.

Tom was a student of mine. Randy is married to a student of mine. Don is a Democrat whom I just met this year. I think the facts that Don Organisciak has the most law enforcement experience and is not in the Orleans County Sheriff’s Department make him an excellent choice for Orleans County Sheriff.

Sincerely yours,

Gary F. Kent
Albion

Editor’s note: Kent is a retired social studies teacher at Kendall.

A poem by Debra L. Tokotch

It is hard to believe that Gary and Denise,
As of January 2015 had owned Fischer’s Newsroom for 20 years;
They also had done many changes to the place as those years went on by,
Even though many things were challenging them by a mile.

Denise had kept track of the bookkeeping for their accountant,
Also helping out at the store when she could;
Gary put in many hours daily, keeping the stock maintained,
And ordering things from their vendors the best that he could.

They have had many people help them over the years,
Like Anita, Kathy, Stacy, Tina, Larry, Missy, and Brian to name a few;
But there were two people who have stuck it through thick and thin like Mo and Diane,
And now recently Ashley which Gary hired to help him cut his hours to get him through.

They all took turns in keeping things stocked up,
Like Pokeman cards, magazines, newspapers, cigarettes, and lottery cards;
They also had pop, ice cream, candy, candy bars, and various gums,
All of which brought in a variety of customers.

Some of the customers were regulars like Wayne, Chris and Debbie,
Others were ones that stopped in as they passed on by;
All of them were sure glad when they did,
Because Gary would socialize and sometimes tell a joke that he had on his mind.

After Denise passed of a sudden illness in February of 2015,
Things were never the same;
It seemed like various things were always somehow missing,
And to stay open and try to do things the same was not meant to be.

For this reason Gary has found a new job,
In which he thinks he will be able to start a new life;
He will be delivering medical supplies for a hospital,
Which will give him some better hours, no holidays to work, and some different friends.

I want to wish him good luck on his journey,
But also do want him to know;
That many of us will miss him dearly,
But wish him the best as he goes.

Editor:

We the body of the Orleans County Deputy Sheriff’s Association affirm our endorsement of Randy Bower for sheriff.

The union body feels that Randy Bower has the management and communication skills necessary to run the department effectively. In today’s anti-law enforcement climate, we need a leader we can rely on. Both Randy Bower and Chris Bourke have demonstrated their dedication to the men and women in uniform time and time again.

Randy Bower has made it clear that we will work as a team to ensure the safety of the community. Much can be accomplished when morale is high and people are working together toward a common goal. Bower and Bourke are compassionate men who truly care about the people of Orleans County.

For these reasons we encourage the Republicans of Orleans County to vote Randy Bower in the primary on Sept. 10.

The Orleans County Deputy Sheriff’s Association

Meridith Papponetti
Secretary