In Fulton County, if you need emergency assistance, it's likely coming from the sheriff's office.

While the area includes two cities with their own police departments, county sheriffs cover the other 500 square miles. But Sheriff Richard Giardino fears public safety might be at risk because of a lack of staff.

"We as sheriff's officers in smaller towns and villages, we have less manpower, we have a larger response time," said Giardino.

What You Need To Know

  • The Fulton County Sheriff says staff shortages have put his employees in danger

  • Between lateral moves, retirements and resignations, 45% of the deputies on road patrol left

  • The sheriff is calling on state lawmakers to help departments like his retain staff

In mid-November, it took 20 minutes for back-up units to arrive and assist a deputy sheriff in a struggle with an armed suspect.

Recruitment and retainment have been issues for a long time. Fulton County lost 21 deputies in seven years to other agencies.

"A lot of sheriff's departments always had difficulty retaining people because they would get hired by the sheriff's office, and usually the sheriff's office in a county was the lowest paid agency,” Giardino said, “and so what they would do is when they had a chance for a transfer to other agencies that had better benefits or better pay, the deputies would leave.”

Giardino says a sergeant position with his department pays $12,000 to $15,000 less than a sergeant position in a nearby city.

Between lateral moves, retirements and resignations, in 2022, 45% of the 20 people on road patrol left. Currently, they're down one investigator and five in the road patrol division.

According to the New York State Sheriffs' Association, staffing is an issue across the state. That's why Giardino is calling on lawmakers to consider leveling the playing field.

"I think it really needs a state mandate, and the logic that I'm using is since the state requires what we have to take for a test, they require what our physical is, they require psychological, and they require the training for all agencies, then they should require that be paid comparably and the benefits be similar," said Giardino.

The NYS Sheriffs' Association says they've heard Giardino's concerns and plan on bringing them up at the upcoming legislative conference.

"We have the same risks," said Giardino. "We have the same training. We put on a gun and a bulletproof vest and a badge, and we're given the authority to take a human life like the other agencies."