Re-elect
ABOUT DEREK
REAL. HONEST. LEADERSHIP.
Some time ago, I stumbled upon an old photo of me when I was one year of age. Halloween was the occasion. Along with a big smile, I wore the garb of a wild-west sheriff. I pondered on the thoughts that immediately came to mind. Was this photo foreshadowing a life-long career path? Did something or someone already have in store for me a career in law enforcement?
Thinking back over my childhood I recalled the admiration I felt for the lawmen depicted in western reruns and fell in love with such shows as "Adam 12" and "CHiPS". Because such shows are popular in our culture, they are numerous and continually reinvented. Some of you may likely be able to produce similar photos or remember idolizing such shows as well.
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It is from this perspective that I would ask you to recall your earliest thoughts and hopes. In our innocence, we believed in simple truths. Right was right, wrong was wrong, and good overcame evil. I dreamed of being on the good side, and in childhood play I experienced for the first time what it felt like in my heart.
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Reality may not match the old re-runs, but for me this feeling led to a successful decades-long career focused on the simple acts of doing what is right and caring for the people I serve.
When the public elects someone to the position of Sheriff, they are entrusting that person with their safety and the best quality of life possible. You deserve someone who will cherish that role and not waver, tire, or falter from their commitment to serving.
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Starting in 1995 as a patrol officer for the City of Cortland, I transferred to the Tompkins County Sheriff’s Office in 2001. Once here, I worked myself up through the ranks from Deputy Sheriff to Investigator, Senior Investigator (Lt.), Captain, and Undersheriff before retiring in 2015.
In 2018, I was elected Sheriff and began serving my first term in January 2019.
Not only do I have the experience to lead the Sheriff’s Office, but I also have the vision to continue improving community relations and operational efficiency all while maintaining fiscal responsibility.
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In these divisive times, you can count on me to serve all people of Tompkins County with honor, pride, and integrity, whether it be during a time of victimization or in the treatment of a loved one housed in the Tompkins County Jail.
I appreciate your continued support!
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Derek
