Goshen, NY- Last night at the Orange County Legislative meeting, Sheriff Arteta announced that the New York State Sheriffs’ Association has accredited the County Sheriff’s Office Civil Division.
Sheriff Arteta was honored to be joined by the association’s legal counsel, Alex Wilson, to celebrate and publicly announce this significant accomplishment and milestone. He began by addressing the Legislature and public attendees, noting that achieving the Civil Division Accreditation has been one of his primary goals for the agency since taking office in 2023.
“Many people have a limited understanding of the vital role that civil enforcement plays in upholding the legal system,” said Arteta, “Our civil office serves as a bridge between the courts and the public.” Civilians assigned to the division and uniformed deputies work collaboratively to execute court orders efficiently and lawfully. The Civil Division is often considered the final step for citizens and a crucial means for resolving non-criminal disputes and enforcing rights where other options have failed.
Orange County is one of the fastest-growing counties in New York, with the population reaching over 410,000 people as of July 2024. The Sheriff’s Office operates one of the busiest civil divisions in the state, not to exclude the five boroughs of NYC. In 2024, the Civil Unit processed almost 6,000 court documents, including, but not limited to, warrants of eviction, orders of seizure, property executions, orders of protection, income executions, civil arrests, and other court mandates. Additionally, over 7 million dollars in monies owed to citizens and revenue for the county passed through the office.
Earning an accreditation through the NYS Sheriffs’ Association is not an easy process. Members assigned to this division have worked tirelessly over the last year and a half to ensure their policies and procedures met the 121 standards required to obtain this designation. Civil Manager Shannon Mahoney, who has over 30 years of experience with the civil process, said, ” I am incredibly proud of our team’s dedication and hard work that led to this important recognition. This achievement reflects our commitment to excellence and the collaborative spirit of our office. This is a milestone we can all celebrate together”.
Accreditation through the Sheriff’s Association ensures that we follow the best practices in accounting, compliance with the law, process service, and proper staff training. These enhancements to our past methods further mitigate risk and liability to the county.
Sheriff Arteta stated, ” Out of the sixty-three Sheriff’s Offices in New York, we are proud to be one of the thirty-one offices that have received this designation. I want to thank the Orange County Legislature for their continued support of the Sheriff’s Office and our mission, and I thank my employees for their continued work and dedication”.
