LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION commemorating the 200th Anniversary of the Chau-
tauqua County Sheriff's Department and Jail

WHEREAS, It is the intent of this Legislative Body to recognize and
honor sheriff's departments which have exhibited great dedication, cour-
age and selflessness in protecting and serving their neighbors in this
great Empire State, and to commemorate the histories of county jail
facilities; and
WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, this Legislative Body is justly
proud to commemorate and honor the 200th Anniversary of the Chautauqua
County Sheriff's Department and Jail; and
WHEREAS, The first Sheriff serving Chautauqua County was David Eason,
who was appointed on February 9, 1811; that same year, Chautauqua County
Supervisors contracted to erect and finish a two-story courthouse and
jail in Mayville, New York; and
WHEREAS, The War of 1812 interrupted the completion of the jail build-
ing, which was finished in 1815; the original jail was deemed unsafe for
the detention of prisoners in 1832 and a new jail building was author-
ized, with the new brick jail building completed in 1835; and
WHEREAS, An annex to the jail was completed in 1895, and was built to
be fireproof and escape-proof, with all the modern conveniences of jail
construction including steam heat; the first telephone was installed in
the Sheriff's office in 1898; and
WHEREAS, When a fire damaged significant parts of the jail in 1901, an
addition to the annex was built and used until 1939, when a new building
was completed; 35 prisoners were transferred to the new jail in 1940,
including 33 male and two female prisoners; and
WHEREAS, The Chautauqua County Sheriff's Road Patrol began in 1950,
with four patrol deputies and two patrol cars authorized by the Chautau-
qua County Legislature in 1949; by 1950, Sheriff Clarence Bell appointed
81 deputy sheriffs, with 32 in regular positions and 42 holding special
assignments; and
WHEREAS, Instruction in small arms for the Sheriff's Department
commenced in 1955 at its shooting range in Dewittville, with Sheriff
Department members receiving instruction in .38 caliber revolvers,
"Tommy" guns and tear gas guns; and
WHEREAS, The Chautauqua County Sheriff's Department purchased five
patrol boats for the enforcement of laws on inland waters within the
County, including Chautauqua, Findley and Cassadaga Lakes in 1960; and
WHEREAS, In 1967, the Chautauqua County Sheriff's Department became
the 16th department in the state to begin use of a fingerprint facsimile
transmission machine to check fingerprints with the Bureau of Identifi-
cation in Albany, New York; and
WHEREAS, The Chautauqua County Sheriff's Department grew to include a
Scuba Team and a Fire Investigation Team in 1973; in that same year, the
Sheriff's Department added two helicopters through its cooperation with
the Chautauqua County Civil Defense; and
WHEREAS, The jail was reconstructed again in 1974, adding office
space, patrol room, kitchen, gymnasium, garage and elevator; an addition
was begun in 1992 for new housing sections but the completion of the new
women's section and two-story modular, visiting section, medical depart-
ment and office space unit was delayed until 1995; the facility was
renovated again to add inmate beds over several years between 2002 and
2007; the jail reached its all-time high population of 301 inmates, 24
of which were federal prisoners, in 2005; and
WHEREAS, The Chautauqua County Sheriff's Department was honored by the
American Automobile Association in 2009 with its Platinum Community

Traffic Safety Award, presented for the Department's efforts to make
roads, streets and highways safer in the County; and
WHEREAS, In 2010, the Chautauqua County Jail became New York State's
first StoryLink Site, providing a program to improve inmate literacy and
strengthen family bonds to help reduce recidivism among offenders; and
WHEREAS, Over the course of its long and distinguished history, 11
members of the Chautauqua County Sheriff's Department have been recorded
as deceased on duty - two sheriffs, two deputy sheriff lieutenants, four
corrections officers, one deputy sheriff sergeant, one corrections lieu-
tenant and one communications officer; and
WHEREAS, Since its inception in 1811, the Chautauqua County Sheriff's
Department has been served by 51 sheriffs; the first person chosen to
fill the position through popular election was Sheriff Jarvis B. Rice;
and
WHEREAS, County sheriff's departments not only provide the critical
service of protection of lives and property, but also engage in other
activities of great benefit and importance to the communities they
serve; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
honor the Chautauqua County Sheriff's Department and Jail upon the occa-
sion of its 200th Anniversary; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to the Chautauqua County Sheriff's Department and Jail.