Essex County Sheriff receives NYS Proclamation

PLATTSBURGH | Assemblyman Billy Jones (D-Chateaugay Lake) recently presented Essex County Sheriff David Reynolds with a New York State Proclamation for receiving the NYACCE (New York Association for Continuing and Community Education) Service Award — the first law enforcement official to be honored. "It is the tradition of New York State to recognize public servants who are dedicated to helping our communities," Jones read from the proclamation during CV-TEC's Community Partners meeting last week. "David has built strong partnerships with numerous community agencies and bridges the gap between the world of education and the reality of corrections." After attending Clinton Community College for criminal justice, Reynolds was hired provisionally by Henry Hommes, the sheriff at the time. Once a permanent appointment, he participated in the Zone 9 Police Academy in Plattsburgh, receiving the academic achievement award for his session. He also served as a school resource officer and DARE educator in county schools. Over time, Reynolds moved up the ranks and took on more responsibilities, including the day-to-day operations of road patrol and civil functions of the Sheriff's Office, until ultimately taking office as county sheriff in January 2019. During his watch at the Essex County Jail in Lewis, Reynolds became involved with the CV-TEC Corrections Education Program (CEP), which began in 2019 to help improve the inmates' quality of life in jail and extend well beyond their eventual release back into the community. Services included basic education toward a GED or higher learning, work readiness training, reentry preparation, life skills, cognitive behavioral intervention, and more. "Corrections is a beast in and of itself, and we work with two facilities to provide services, but there is one that stands out as one of the leading partners," said Adult Services Administrator Maria Huntington about Essex County Jail during the event. "Not only do we support people who don't have a high school diploma, but we also support those who have a diploma but are looking to gain those skills so that they can become employed once they re-enter society." These services, which are grant-funded at no cost to the community, are also offered at the Clinton County Jail in Plattsburgh. However, incarcerated people from Essex County Jail who have participated in the program have had a three-year recidivism rate of 21% — far below the state average of 47%. This has earned CV-TEC recognition by the Department of Education as a model for reentry programs in the state. "When people are in jail, it costs taxpayers a lot of money," Reynolds said during the event. "So, the fact that this is working, and it's keeping people out of jail, it's great."

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Essex County Sheriff receives NYS Proclamation

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