Chenango County Detective Sergeant Gary A. Miller, Detective Chad M. O'Hara, and Sheriff Ernest Cutting during the Chenango County Sheriff's Office Award Ceremony. (Zachary Meseck photo)

NORWICH – Earlier this month the Chenango County Sheriff's Office recognized over 70 members of law enforcement for their contributions throughout the county at its annual award ceremony.

The ceremony was held on March 1, at the Northeast Classic Car Museum in Norwich. The main speaker, Chenango County Sheriff Ernest Cutting, started off the event with a discussion on various topics including the work of his employees, manpower shortages, and the hypothetical legalization of marijuana along with the impacts it could have on local communities.

Cutting said he recognized that all of the office's employees work hard and make significant contributions to the office and to the public they serve. He added, “While our awards committee has selected several officers to receive formal awards for those who stood out in many situations last year, all staff are deserving of an award.”

According to Cutting, the Chenango County 911 Center handled 90,342 emergency and non-emergency calls for service in 2018.

"The 911 Center is going through an aggressive modernization plan designed to prepare the center for emerging technologies and Next Generation 911, said Cutting. "The infrastructure was put in place for Text to 911, which allows a citizen who is unable to speak to a dispatcher for any number of reasons, to text their emergency."

He said while technology continues to improve, turnover rates in the corrections division of the sheriff's office remain an issue high due to the difficulty of the job.