Accord, Ulster County Sheriff Juan Figueroa and members of the Ulster County Sheriff's Office took part in the Subzero Heroes fundraiser at Berean Lake in Highland, N.Y. on Feb. 26, 2023. The New York State Thruway (I-87) runs northsouth through the county, carrying traffic between New York City and Albany and its surroundings. For a long time, Ulster County had a county-scale version of a council-manager government, with the county legislature hiring a county administrator to handle executive functions. To register to attend the virtual event, go to https://bit.ly/3qX0jhz. Republicans regularly got over 60% of the vote, the high point coming when Dwight D. Eisenhower won 76% in 1956. At another point in that video, he called on like-minded patriots to join him, saying: We can get through this bulls and bury these liberal scumbags., During his arrest, Shafer can be heard asking police, why are you doing this to me? Alleged embezzlement:Former lawyer from Hopewell Junction accused of felony grand larceny, For sale:Gunk Haus restaurant in Highland to operate while on the market, Driver ID:Police say 84-year-old Nanuet man killed in two-car New City crash. Much of it is within the Catskill Mountains and the Shawangunk Ridge. Site built by Systemagic, Museum at Bethel Woods voted top music museum, Local officials oppose Governor Hochuls cuts to veterans programs, Congressman Ryan demands CSX adopt safety standards to prevent disaster in Hudson Valley, Dutchess County releases funding for youth programming, Lawmakers propose bill to ban the release of radioactive waste into waterways. After many years of public service, he remains bound by an unwavering sense of duty and deep commitment to the community. Figueroas campaign launch was originally scheduled to be in-person, but he opted to make it a virtual launch because out of concern for public safety due to the uptick in COVID-19 cases. In his upcoming term, Figueroa has said, he will continue work to implement the AVERT (Anti-Violence Effort Response Team) program which aims to help stem youth violence through more gun buyback programs and by offering more mental health services, GED classes, and job training programs. The creation of this division would require the appointment of a professional standards division supervisor, which is being suggested as a non-civil service position for an individual retired from a law enforcement, or a legal position. Figueroa announced his plans to run for re-election in a p The defendant faces a 20-year determinate (sentence), Rounds said. Sarahana Shrestha took the race for the 103rd district of the State Senate. To the right is Ulster County Chief Assistant District Attorney Emmanuel Nneji. Figueroa announced his plans to run for re-election in a press release detailing plans for a virtual event next Thursday at which he will officially launch his re-election campaign. During an Ulster County Criminal Justice Reform Task Force meeting Wednesday evening, Lt. Joseph Sciutto outlined the sheriffs intentions for the creation of a Professional Standards Division. Kingston, In 1652, Thomas Chambers, a freeholder from the Manor of Rensselaerswyck, purchased land at Esopus. Molinaro ran in the 19th district and narrowly defeated Democrat Josh Riley. In 1683, the Duke of York created 12 counties in his province, one of which was Ulster County, named after Prince James, Duke of York (later King James II of England) whose subsidiary titles included Earl of Ulster. It is situated along the Hudson River. Ulster County Sheriffs Office - Accord Substation This information is made available to the public and law enforcement in the interest of public safety. Ulster County Emergency Response Team (U.C.E.R.T. The Sheriff's Communications Center is a secure facility equipped with leading-edge technology, which provides immediate access to various federal, state and local law enforcement databases, and acts as the "hub" to the Sheriff's Mobile Data Computer (MDC) system. Two years later, Michael P. Hein, the last appointed county administrator, became Ulster's first elected county executive. The member assigned in the center answers phone calls made to the Sheriff's emergency 7-digit phone number (845-338-3640), operates multiple radio channels, performs computer operations on several law enforcement computer database systems, and a myriad of communications related tasks. When part of the New Netherland colony, Dutch traders first called the area of present-day Ulster County "Esopus", a name borrowed for convenience from a locality on the opposite side of the Hudson. Editors note: This story was updated Jan. 9, 2022, at 8:25 p.m. to correct the number of votes received by Juan Figueroa and Paul VanBlarcum in the 2018 election, Ulster County Sheriff Juan Figueroa running for, Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Ulster County Sheriff Juan Figueroa running for re-election, Texas congressmans breaks with GOP could lead to censure, As McConnell pushes for more Ukraine aid, Republican opposition grows louder, Kingston Democrats nominate nearly full-slate of candidates, Ulster Republicans back Kavanagh for DA a second time, Joseph Karolys associate identified as fourth person in vehicle on the night David 'Mickey' Myer was beaten and later died, Bar property owner 'devastated,' recalls last night David 'Mickey' Myer was alive, Proposed Good Cause Eviction law will worsen housing problem, landlord groups say, Miller Middle School students hospitalized after possible exposure to pepper spray, superintendent says, Metzger asks state to investigate Ulster County finances, Two arrested in town of Ulster cooking oil heist, police say, Woman charged after refusing to relinquish 'dangerous' dog, police say, Racist flyers in Rosendale, New Paltz protected by First Amendment, FBI says, FBI investigates body in bags in Ellenville in connection with missing Brooklyn man caught in web of extortion, Greene County man leads troopers on high-speed chase, state police say, As Adderall shortage continues, DEA plans to limit some telemedicine prescriptions, House where JonBenet Ramsey was found dead listed for sale for almost $7M, Columbia University permanently drops SAT, ACT admissions requirement, The Waterbed Doctor: California retailer lays claim to retro bed with nearly 40 years of service, sales, Felonious Florida podcast: Missing teenage girl leads to several cases of child sex trafficking, Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. Juan worked on several cases involving drug cartels. All Rights Reserved. Ulster County Sheriff, officers jump into, Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Ulster County Sheriff, officers jump into Highland lake in Alzheimers Association Subzero Heroes fundraiser, Improvements in Montessori program at George Washington Elementary School in Kingston sought, Texas congressmans breaks with GOP could lead to censure, FBI investigates body in bags in Ellenville in connection with missing Brooklyn man caught in web of extortion, Joseph Karolys associate identified as fourth person in vehicle on the night David Mickey Myer was beaten and later died. (Tania Barricklo/Daily Freeman), Clayton Shafer, left, talks with his attorney Joseph O'Connor during his sentencing Thursday, Jan. 12, 2023 at the Ulster County Courthouse. 58 Following. available or call the Ulster County Board of Elections at 845.334.5470 . Of all households, 27.90% were made up of individuals, and 10.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. Of it's great territory it has given in the formation of Delaware in 1797, part of Greene in 1800, Sullivan in 1809, and a piece to Orange in the same year. [15] In early 2019, Hein resigned to accept Governor Andrew Cuomo's appointment as commissioner of the state Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance. But to probation officers, Shafer denied aiming his weapon at Benjamin and said Benjamin was inexperienced and over-reacted. He also told the probation officer theyre just trying to hang me cause its the undersheriffs son.. [13] Ryan ran in the 18th congressional district in the 2022 general election after redistricting put most of Ulster County in that district. All Rights Reserved. NY, Ulster County Sheriffs Office - Wallkill Substation The county's median household income was $42,551, and the median family income was $51,708. In New York, Ulster County is ranked 14th of 62 counties in Sheriff Departments per capita, and 14th of 62 counties in Sheriff Departments per square mile. The defendant professes to be a patriot but his value system of true patriotism seems to mean nothing to him., Mr. Ulster County is a county in the U.S. state of New York. He violated the plea agreement. The sheriff's office did not say what the motive was for the murder of the elder Arceri. Allen Rowe Phone: (845) 334-8193 Fax: (845) 338-3645 Zone 14 Law Enforcement Academy Address: Columbia-Greene Community College Hudson, NY 12534 Contact: Deputy Heath C. Benansky Phone: (518) 828-3344 Fax: ULSTER COUNTY - Several police agencies are investigating numerous car larcenies that occurred in Ulster County during the overnight hours on October 26th and 27th. In the early 1990s he was in charge of deploying over 150 Marines and support requirements during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. Figueroa also was a member of the state police from 1988 to 2013. Suggest Listing ). In our work to keep our communities safe through our training and accreditation programs, legislative advocacy, Operation Safe Child and Yellow Dot. Ulster County Sheriffs Office - Accord Substation, Ulster County Sheriffs Office - Esopus Substation, Ulster County Sheriffs Office - Shandaken Substation, Ulster County Sheriffs Office - Wallkill Substation, Ulster County Sheriffs Office / Ulster County Law Enforcement Center, Ulster County jail records and inmate lookups, Ulster County, New York crime reports and Sheriff blotter. The settlements grew into the village of Wiltwijck, which the English later named Kingston. Shandaken, Media. NY, Ulster County Sheriffs Office / Ulster County Law Enforcement Center He said he would establish a positive, nonpolitical office with zero tolerance for racial or sexual harassment, or for favoritism. KINGSTON, N.Y. Juan Figueroa will serve a second four-year term as Ulster County sheriff. (Tania Barricklo/Daily Freeman), Clayton Shafer is led into the courtroom Thursday, Jan. 12, 2023. ROSENDALE - A violent domestic incident on Friday ended with a father dead and his son charged with his murder, the Ulster County Sheriff's office said Saturday. [2] The county seat is Kingston. Throughout the encounter, Benjamin can be heard urging Shafer to lower the weapon, saying Im backing up brother, drop the gun, drop the gun, brother, listen to me you dont want to do this., I truly want to apologize to Deputy Benjamin, Shafer said in court, adding it took a lot of courage not to shoot me., Rounds, though, said he had a difficult time believing Shafers remorse, pointing out inconsistencies in his statements in court when he pleaded guilty and those he made to a probation officer preparing a pre-sentence report for the court. The creation of this division and the appointment of the positions in it are contained within this report and will be voted on by the task force in late July. He also professed his love for former President Donald Trump and made threats toward President Joe Biden, stating at one point that he needed to do something to protect the country from Biden, and that he could hit someone in the head from 3,000 yards. The county's racial makeup, as of 2008, was 83.2% white, 6.50% black or African American, 0.3% Native American, 1.7% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 2.15% from other races, and 1.70% from two or more races. Juan Figueroa has always been moved by a sense of service to people in his community and country. During that time, as Chief Warrant Officer, he held primary responsibilities in aviation logistics support, budget, training, deployment, and base facilities abroad. On September 9, Ryan stepped down as county executive, and Johanna Contreras was sworn in as an acting county executive. The chair of the legislature had a great deal of power and was accountable only to the voters of their district. ). In 1798, Ulster County's southernmost towns were moved into Orange County to compensate Orange for breaking away its southernmost part to form Rockland County. We thank our In-Water Rescue team for sticking it out with us to ensure the safety of all the participants, the post said. Sheriff's deputies, town of Rosendale and state police and Mobile Life Support Services all responded to the residence. Deputies and officers located the unresponsive man, later identified as Ram D. Arceri, 51, of Rosendale. According to the sheriff's office, a 911 call for an unresponsive man at a residence on Springtown Road in the town of Rosendale was received at about 1:50 p.m. Friday. Ulster County Sheriff's Academy Address: 380 Boulevard Kingston, NY 12401 Contact: Sgt. (Tania Barricklo/Daily Freeman), Clayton Shafer is led into the Ulster County Courtroom in Kingston on Thursday, Jan. 12, 2023. By Ben Nandy Ulster County. The center also receives and dispatches calls for the police departments of the towns of Rosendale, Shawangunk, Shandaken, Plattekill, Olive and Ellenville. The Ulster County Sheriff's Communications Center located within the Ulster County Law Enforcement Center (UCLEC) is the center for Sheriff's law enforcement operations. He said before you talk about what you would have done, sign up to be a police officer, then have an AR-15 pointed at you and have the trigger pulled and know the only reason youre going home to your loved ones is grace. Privacy Policy Any unauthorized use of this information is forbidden and subject to criminal prosecution. An investigation led to the arrest of his son, John J. Arceri, 28, of Kingston, who was located by sheriff's deputies walking along Route 32 in the area of Grove Street. Ryan was narrowly reelected against New York Assembly member Colin Schmitt. After active duty with the Marines for four years, Juan served 18 years with the Marine Corps Reserve. The public safety always comes first - Sheriff's identification is restricted. PLEASE: We do not give away or sell uniform patches! The Walkway Over the Hudson, the world's longest pedestrian and bicycle bridge which spans the Hudson River, is connected within Ulster County trails.[20]. On April 30, 2019, Democrat Patrick K. Ryan was elected in a special election by a margin of 74%-26%. Copyright 2016 Ulster County Sheriffs Office. [21], Also since 2015, the Saugerties Stallions, a collegiate summer baseball league team that plays in the Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League (PGCBL), have been based in Saugerties and play their home games at Cantine Field. 23.50% of the county's population was under age 18, 8.70% was from age 18 to 24, 29.70% was from age 25 to 44, 24.70% was from age 45 to 64, and 13.30% was age 65 or older. With a distinguished career as a veteran and five years in the corporate arena, Juan brings a broad perspective to law enforcement. A true patriot cares for and protects his neighbors and others and doesnt denigrate those who look different, Nneji said. The Hudson Valley Chapter of the Alzheimers Association hosts the fundraiser each year, authorities said. The county's racial makeup, as of 2020, was 75.16% white, 5.8% black or African American, 0.2% Native American, 2.1% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 5.4% from other races or from two or more races. In 1992, 1996, and 2000, the party won a plurality, due to strong showings from third parties. KINGSTON, N.Y. Ulster County Sheriff Juan Figueroa is seeking a second four-year term as the county's top law enforcement officer. .mw-parser-output .reflist{font-size:90%;margin-bottom:0.5em;list-style-type:decimal}.mw-parser-output .reflist .references{font-size:100%;margin-bottom:0;list-style-type:inherit}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-2{column-width:30em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-3{column-width:25em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns{margin-top:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns ol{margin-top:0}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns li{page-break-inside:avoid;break-inside:avoid-column}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-alpha{list-style-type:upper-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-roman{list-style-type:upper-roman}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-alpha{list-style-type:lower-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-greek{list-style-type:lower-greek}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-roman{list-style-type:lower-roman}. For Emergencies Only Dial 911 For Non-Emergencies (845) 338-3640. Why am I being asked to sentence him to eight years in prison? Investigations during his term resulted in the seizure of over $60 million in cash, 400+ kilos of drugs, and the arrest of key figures in the drug trade. 380 Boulevard Information found on CountyOffice.org is strictly for informational purposes and does not construe legal, financial or medical advice. Without this training, I do not know what the outcome would have been, he said. In an emotional statement to the court, Shafer said he was deeply sorry for his actions on Feb. 9, 2021, chalking his behavior up to an alcohol addiction he said was fueled by years of physical, emotional and verbal abuse he suffered as a child that he said left him emotionally disconnected and alone. Since being in jail, Shafer said he started attending Alcoholics Anonymous and therapy to understand and process his past and emotions in a healthy manner.. The Criminal Justice Reform Task Force will be voting on the finalization of a report they have been working on to implement further criminal justice reform measures within the county beyond those mandated by Executive Order 203. Tweets. Each offers various recreation opportunities, including hiking, bicycling, skiing, horseback riding, kayaking, rock climbing, hunting and fishing. Figueroa was joined by Sgt. During his 25-year term with the State Police, he assumed key leadership roles initially as a Police Academy Instructor and Field Training Officer, then as an Investigator with the Bureau of Criminal Investigation for 19 years. Figueroa has said he is in the midst of implementing an employee assistance program and the Helping Every Responder Overcome (HERO-R) Resilience project to help officers in his department deal with post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety, and substance abuse. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.60 males. This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions. Ulster County sheriff's deputies said they were initially alerted to the suspect, Terry J. Weber, after a 911 call reported a disturbance at his home on Nov. 11, 2022. Ulster County Emergency Response Team (U.C.E.R.T. Afterward, the task force will present their final report to the county legislature in August and resolutions supporting it would go before lawmakers in September. [A], In 1809, Sullivan County was split off from Ulster County.[A]. Tweets & replies. KINGSTON The Ulster County Sheriff has petitioned for the creation of a new department within the office that would include the appointment of two new positions and oversee multiple areas regarding criminal justice reform for all law enforcement in the county. PUBLISHED 6:00 PM ET Aug. 09, 2021. Figueroa, 57, a former state police investigator and U.S. Marine, was elected sheriff in 2018 when he beat incumbent Sheriff Paul VanBlarcum by a tally of 42,445 to 36,078. 1:00. Below are contact numbers to our main station and sub-stations. (Ulster County . Figueroa was first elected Ulster County sheriff in 2018 when he defeated former Sheriff Paul Van Blarcum, a Democrat who ran for re-election on the Republican line after losing a Democratic primary to Figueroa. Former Orleans band member John Hall served in the Ulster County legislature before moving to the 19th Congressional District to run for Congress. According to the press release, Figueroa will talk about the successes his office has to date making the county stronger, safer and more united, and will detail his plans for the future during Thursdays campaign kick-off. Ulster Park, The contractors, whose names were withheld by the . Organized criminal activity, especially that involving illegal weapons, presents the public and law enforcement with additional challenges and concerns, and . A still from the body cam video. The Stallions won the 2021 PGCBL Championship.[22]. [16] Deputy County Executive Adele Reiter succeeded him as acting county executive until a special election was held in April 2019. In 1777, the first state capital of the independent New York State was established at Kingston. For most of the 20th century, Ulster County voted for the Republican nominees for president. The population density was 158 inhabitants per square mile (61/km2). Ulster County. Ulster County Sheriff's Employees Association (UCSEA) official Facebook page. Copyright 2016 Ulster County Sheriffs Office. County Office is not affiliated with any government agency. There were 77,656 housing units at an average density of 69 per squaremile (27/km2). The Senate House State Historic Site in Kingston, New York is where, in early 1777, American colonists met to ratify the New York Constitution. There are 5 Sheriff Departments in Ulster County, New York, serving a population of 180,129 people in an area of 1,124 square miles. Ulster County Sheriff Juan Figueroa gives a victim impact statement for his deputy Robert Benjamin in Clayton Shafer's sentencing Thursday afternoon, Jan. 12, 2023. He was arraigned in the Town of Esopus Justice Court and was sent without bail to the Ulster County Jail, pending further court action. In order for us to improve in all these areas, especially CIT and our Internal Affairs and increasing the transparency and having any type of bias in the decision making in the outcomes of anything, this Professional Standards Division would be separate from the Criminal Division and the Corrections Division and would operate as its own separate division, maintaining the standards and integrity of the Ulster County Sheriffs Office, said Sciutto. Prior to his 2018 election, Figueroa outlined a series of initiatives he said he would undertake if elected, including taking a comprehensive approach to the opioid issue that would promote education, prevention and treatment. John Arceri was charged with second-degree murder, a felony. 1,002 Followers. (Tania Barricklo/Daily Freeman), Ulster County Sheriff Juan Figueroa gives a victim impact statement for his deputy Benjamin in Clayton Shafer's, seated at left, sentencing Thursday afternoon, Jan. 12, 2023. There were also 443 write-in votes. The Sheriff's Office is responsible for patrolling any unincorporated areas of the county or . Former lawyer from Hopewell Junction accused of felony grand larceny, Gunk Haus restaurant in Highland to operate while on the market, Police say 84-year-old Nanuet man killed in two-car New City crash, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. Its boundaries at that time included the present Sullivan County and parts of the present Delaware, Orange, and Greene Counties.[A]. Collin Reynolds, UIster County Deputy Sheriffs PBA President Sean Becker and Ulster County Sheriffs Employees Association Vice President DJ Koeppen, according to an Ulster County Sheriffs Office Facebook post. Shafer has a false perception of himself as the most patriotic because he wears law enforcement hats and has decals.. Some of the west and north of the county is in New York's 19th congressional district, represented by Republican Marc Molinaro. The only countywide elected officials were the county clerk (Nina Postupack has served since 2006), district attorney (Dave Clegg took office in 2020) and sheriff (Juan Figueroa took office in 2019). There were 67,499 households, of which 30.70% had children under age 18 living with them, 49.20% were married couples living together, 10.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.50% were non-families. Ulster County Sheriff Esopus, Town Justice Hardenburgh, Superintendent of Highways, 1 yr. term Hurley, Councilperson, 1 yr. term . The defendant was charged with the misdemeanors of Aggravated Driving While Intoxicated and. The Department is responsible for managing local court orders and judgments, including foreclosures, tax delinquencies, subpoenas, and repossessions. He served in the Marines, both active duty and reserves, from 1983 to 2006, and he was a member of the state police from 1994 to 2013. Sheer luck., On Feb. 9, 2021, Benjamin responded to Shafers Esopus property in response to a request for a welfare check by one of Shafers friends who saw a Facebook live video by a visibly drunk Shafer delivering a sometimes incoherent screed about his life, his family and the 2020 election. Amber Alert NY Alert Terrorism Hotline (866) 723-3697 Missing Persons. (845) 338-3640 (dispatcher)(845) 331-2810 (administration), (845) 340-3718 (patrol)sheriff[at]co.ulster.ny[dot]us, 491 Cottekill Rd Hasbrouck Hall Room 131 Stone Ridge, NY 12484, 146 MountPleasant RdMount Tremper, NY 12457. Ulster County Sheriff's Office Sheriff Juan J. Figueroa, Jr. Undersheriff Eric V. Benjamin. The Democratic nominee won only in 1912, when Theodore Roosevelt and his Progressive Party split the Republican vote and gave a plurality to Woodrow Wilson, and in 1964, when Lyndon B. Johnson won every county in New York and carried Ulster County by 19.8 percentage points. Shafer also thanked Benjamin for not shooting him during the standoff, during which Shafer pointed an AR-15 at Benjamin and pulled the trigger twice. As of the 2020 census, the population was 181,851. . As of 2023, most of the county is in New York's 18th congressional district, represented by Democrat Pat Ryan. KINGSTON, N.Y. A Shokan man who tried to fire his AR-15 at Deputy Sheriff Robert Benjamin was sentenced Thursday to eight years in state prison one more year than the mandatory minimum sentence during a lengthy proceeding before Ulster County Judge Bryan Rounds that included a statement from Benjamin and a blistering indictment by Rounds on the hyperpolitical climate that he said helped create the atmosphere that led Shafer to believe he was justified in his actions. He and several others actually settled and began farming by June, 1653. 284 Broadway 7201 New York 28 Ulster County is in southeastern New York State, south of Albany, immediately west of the Hudson River. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000", "P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) Ulster County, New York", "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections", "Congressman-elect Pat Ryan resigns as Ulster County executive; Contreras sworn in", "Ulster County Executive: Democrat Jen Metzger beats Republican Jim Quigley by significant margin", "Hein wins big as first Ulster County executive", "Ulster County Executive Michael Hein leaving to take state post", "Democrat Ryan coasts to victory in Ulster County executive special election", "Ryan sworn in as Ulster County executive, promises to lead with 'bold vision', Ulster reapportionment panel to revamp Legislature, "Ulster County Rails and Trails | Ulster County", "Saugerties Stallions Win 2021 PGCBL Championship Series", Guide to the Ulster County Collection, 1666-1893, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ulster_County,_New_York&oldid=1138113496, February 11, 2019 June 7, 2019 (Acting), September 9, 2022 December 31, 2022 (Acting), This page was last edited on 8 February 2023, at 02:37. Or feel free to use our web form below. (Tania Barricklo/Daily Freeman), Clayton Shafer reads a letter of apology before Judge Bryan Rounds in court Thursday, Jan. 12, 2023. Deputies from the Ulster County Sheriff's Office report the arrest of a 36 year old man, of Esopus, NY. [4], According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has an area of 1,161 square miles (3,010km2), of which 1,124 square miles (2,910km2) is land and 37 square miles (96km2) (3.1%) is water.[5]. NY, Ulster County Sheriffs Office - Shandaken Substation In New York, Ulster County is ranked 14th of 62 counties in Sheriff Departments per capita, and 14th of 62 counties . Our sole purpose is not to make arrests, but to assure the safety of our community, Benjamin said in his statement, adding that shortly prior to the showdown with Shafer he had completed a training course on de-escalating situations.