public safety

Law Enforcement

The following information is intended to aid researchers and other residents to obtain information on the functions and programs of police agencies.

The organization of local police services can seem confusing. In New York State, county governments have police authority, and they usually meet this through a county sheriff's department. In addition, some municipal governments (cities, towns and villages) have opted to create police departments to supplement the services of the county sheriff. The size and role of municipal police agencies can vary considerably, from large, full-scale departments in our cities and larger towns and villages, to part-time departments in some villages. For example, the adjacent villages of Manchester and Shortsville in Ontario County share a part-time officer to supplement the service of the County Sheriff and State Police. On the other end of the spectrum, the City of Rochester Police Department has nearly 1,000 employees.

Below are links to all county sheriff offices in the ACT Rochester region. All sheriffs provide patrol services and operate their county jail. Some provide specialized services, such as marine patrol, and most conduct a variety of crime prevention activities.

In Monroe County, municipal police departments are operated in the following communities: the City of Rochester; the towns of BrightonIrondequoitGreeceGates and Webster; the town and village of East Rochester; and the villages of Brockport and Fairport.

In Genesee County, there are municipal police departments in the City of Batavia and village of LeRoy.

The Livingston County villages of Dansville, Geneseo and Mount Morris operate police departments.

Ontario County's two cities, Canandaigua and Geneva, each maintain a police department, as do the villages of Clifton Springs and Manchester.

The villages of AlbionHolley, and Medina in Orleans County have police departments.

With the sole exception of Red Creek and Lyons, all villages in Wayne County operate police departments: ClydeMacedonNewarkPalmyra; Sodus; Sodus Point; and Wolcott.

Police departments are maintained by the Wyoming County villages of ArcadeAtticaPerry and Warsaw (585-786-2000).

The New York State Police provide additional police protection and police support services throughout New York. The ACT Rochester area is covered by two regional headquarters. Troop A  is located in Batavia and covers Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming counties (as well as five other counties outside the ACT Rochester region). Troop E serves Livingston, Monroe, Ontario, and Wayne counties (as well as six other counties outside the ACT Rochester region) from its Canandaigua facility.

Research and Engagement

The Public Safety Initiatives Center at RIT conducts research on local crime issues and works with neighborhood collaboratives to develop anti-crime strategies.

The M.K. Gandhi Institute at the University of Rochester fosters non-violence, including in local neighborhood settings.

Crime Prevention Tips

Below are links to a sampling of crime prevention and safety tips provided by area law enforcement agencies.   

  • The Monroe County Sheriff's Department provides crime prevention tips on a variety of subjects.
  • Most area sheriff's departments participate in Operation Safe Child, a program that helps protect children by providing identification cards that include a child's photograph, fingerprints and other vital identifying information.
  • The Irondequoit Police Department offers common-sense crime prevention tips for the elderly.
  • The Rochester Police Department offers a wide array of crime prevention programs.
  • To improve the efficiency of calls to the 911 Center, the Rochester Emergency Communications Department offers information on how 911 works.

In addition, a comprehensive set of crime prevention ideas is available from the New York State Police.

Fire and Emergency Management

Each county maintains an emergency management unit responsible for planning and responding to emergencies.

In Monroe County there are several responsible agencies. The Monroe County Department of Public Safetyprovides overall planning, training and coordination services. Within the department, the Monroe County Fire Bureau provides training, hazardous materials response (HAZMAT) and field coordination services to 39 county, town and village fire departments. Planning and coordinating community response is the function of the Office of Emergency Management.

Emergency Management units in the other counties are:

Following are some resources to prevent fires or to save lives in the event of fire:

  • Rochester Fire Department offers a variety of fire safety tips.
  • The Emergency Services Directory is an online resource for EMS, fire and police departments, hospitals, government and community services. The process is designed so that the information is regularly reviewed and maintained. The active site management makes sure the information is up-to-date and available in one central location.
  • Prevention 1st Foundation, Inc., provides effective, evaluated, research-based training and materials to promote safer behavior and to prevent and reduce unintentional injuries.

The Finger Lakes Regional Burn Association is a nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing awareness of burn-related issues, and to assist those who suffer burns. The organization conducts a variety of education and assistance activities.

 

 

Banner photo provided by Jamie Germano/Democrat and Chronicle





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