The acting Dutchess County sheriff is in danger of losing his job, as Gov. Kathy Hochul may appoint someone else to the position to replace the late Sheriff Butch Anderson.

Some county leaders are questioning the move, since the election for county sheriff is just nine months away.

“I don’t know which way she’s leaning,” Acting Sheriff Kirk Imperati said Tuesday in an interview in his office. “I was interviewed. The interview went very well.”

Imperati said he was surprised to recently learn Hochul is considering appointing another leader to finish Anderson’s term.

Anderson died in September.

Imperati, who was undersheriff at the time, was named acting sheriff. He and others had expected he would finish out the term.

“I can remain acting sheriff, and let the voters decide in a November election who they want to be the sheriff of Dutchess County,” he said.

Imperati has been with the department 30 years. He was a DARE officer, school resource officer, detective, undersheriff and now acting sheriff. He has the endorsement of the unions representing Dutchess County deputies and civilian employees, as well as unions for officers in the Poughkeepsie and Fishkill police departments.

Hochul said during a press conference Monday in Kingston her office is vetting several candidates.

“We want to make sure we have someone who has permanent authority in that place as soon as possible, so that process is very much ongoing,” she said.

Imperati and County Executive Marc Molinaro said they learned one candidate the governor is entertaining as a possible replacement for Anderson is Deputy Adrienne Licari, who Imperati hired nine years ago.

Several attempts to reach Licari for comment Tuesday were unsuccessful.

Molinaro said it is important to keep Imperati in his current post to oversee new initiatives, diversify the 450-member department and handle construction of the new county jail. Molinaro added he is concerned the governor may install a Democrat as sheriff just to improve that person’s chances in the November election.

“I know we don’t want to fuse that kind of politics and partisanship in this very important decision at a critical time in public safety in our state, in our nation and in this community,” Molinaro said.

Imperati did not theorize about Hochul’s plans, only saying he wants the process to be free of bias.

“I have no issue with having an opponent [in the November election],” he said. “I just don’t believe politics should come into play when it comes to the safety of our residents in Dutchess County.”

The heavily Democratic state Senate will ultimately confirm or deny Hochul’s appointment.

Imperati, who recently declared his candidacy for the position, said he will be running for sheriff regardless of what the governor decides.