Sheriff's Office Dispatch 315-379-2222 (Fax: 315-379-0335)
Administration: 315-379-2365
Criminal Investigations: 315-379-2360
Drug Information Tip Line: 1-800-287-3784 (1-800-287-DRUG)
The Criminal Division of the Sheriff’s Office , under the direct supervision of Undersheriff Shawn C. McCargar, is responsible for the enforcement of all laws within the County. This includes the New York State Penal Law, Vehicle and Traffic Law, Parks and Recreation Law, and Criminal Procedure Law. This Division also enforces local laws as necessary. The staff investigates accidents involving all types of vehicles, automobiles, large trucks, snowmobiles, boats, etc. within the boundaries of St. Lawrence County. This Division is also responsible for serving papers to individuals for various courts, the District Attorney, Probation Department, etc. along with the handling of complaints received from the public of a various nature. These complaints range from noise complaints to sex offenses, etc.
In addition to the above duties, the staff of the Criminal Division are responsible for all county correctional inmate transports to courts, prisons, doctors, dentists, etc.
The Criminal Division is comprised of an Investigative Division, Drug Detachment and the Road Patrol Division.
Road Patrol
The Road Patrol is comprised of Deputy Sheriff/Patrol Officers and Uniformed Sergeants who, through their sworn duty, place themselves in harm’s way and put their lives on the line for the citizens and visitors of St. Lawrence County. The Road Patrol is tasked with patrolling the 2,822 square miles that is St. Lawrence County. Each Deputy Sheriff/Patrol Officer is highly trained in a multitude of areas that are covered under New York State Division of Criminal Justice / Office of Public Safety training standards. The members of the Road Patrol respond to motor vehicle accidents, recreational vehicle accidents, domestic incidents, larcenies, disorderly subjects, calls for many types of assistance both emergency and non-emergency, burglaries, robberies, assaults and homicides. They are asked at any point in their tour of duty to be teachers, parents, social workers, mental health workers, negotiators and mediators. Deputy Sheriff/Patrol Officers are asked to make split second decisions that can affect the lives of victims, suspects and the Deputies themselves. Through constant day-to-day supervision, mentoring and regularly scheduled In-Service training, combined with their own life experience and common sense, Deputy Sheriff/Patrol Officers are prepared to handle any type of situation and that is shown in the level of Professionalism that is displayed and modeled by the men and women of the Sheriff’s Office.
Criminal Investigations
The Criminal Investigation unit, staffed by a Detective Sergeant and Detectives, is tasked with handling Felony level complaints. Detective Sergeants and Detectives are responsible for investigating; deaths (homicide, accidental & suspicious), serious personal injury & fatal motor vehicle & recreational vehicle incidents, alleged sexual and physical abuse of; children, adults and seniors, suspicious fires & Arson, Grand Larcenies, Burglaries, Robberies and Fraud. They are on call 24/7 and are highly trained and continually educated in all aspects of their profession. They work as a cohesive team with other Police Agency Investigators, the District Attorney’s Office and Victims Rights Groups to provide the highest level of professionalism to the people of St. Lawrence County.
Drug Task Force
The St. Lawrence County Drug Task Force is sponsored by and led by the Sheriff’s Office. A Detective Sergeant of the Sheriff’s Office supervises the Drug Task Force, under the direction of the Undersheriff, on a day-to-day basis. The Drug Task Force is made up of members of the St. Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office and members of other local Police Agencies. The Drug Task Force works daily in conjunction with Federal, State and Local Police Agencies to develop information, investigate and arrest individuals and groups who transport, sell, deal and profit from the illicit drug industry.
Navigational & Snowmobile Units
The Navigational and Snowmobile units of the Sheriff’s Office work scheduled patrols on the waterways and trails of the St. Lawrence County on seasonal basis and as needed by the Sheriff’s Office to complete the calls for service from the people of St. Lawrence County. The Sheriff’s Office has in its equipment inventory two 2017 Yamaha Viper Snowmobiles with trailer and one (1) 2004 Scout Boat with a Mercury 150 HP Motor and trailer.
Sex Offender Community Notification
The St. Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office takes their responsibility in regards to Registered Sex Offenders and Community Notification seriously and makes every effort to provide an enhanced process to notify the people of St. Lawrence County. This is completed through the process set forth by the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services, the Sex Offender Registry and by statute set forth by New York State legislation. The Sheriff’s Office takes these tools, through their website, and enhances them by providing the public with access to “Sex Offender Watch” and providing full information on not only Level 3 Offenders but also provides all legal information possible on Level 2 Offenders. When any proposed legislative changes are made to allow further public information on Sex Offenders, changes will be made to “Sex Offender Watch” to reflect these changes to public access.
