Lifetime law enforcement officers compete for Lewis County sheriff job

Jun. 15—LOWVILLE — One of the most important races among the six Republican primaries in Lewis County this year is that for the sheriff position.

Michael P. Carpinelli, who has been working in law enforcement since 1986 and was first elected sheriff in 2012, is seeking his fourth term, while 20-year veteran state trooper Nichole K. Turck is looking for her inaugural term.

MICHAEL P. CARPINELLI, 58, Osceola

HOMETOWN: Kingston, N.Y.

EDUCATION: Kingston City High School, Ulster County

Ulster Community College — criminal justice (1 year)

U.S. Army — 2 years

Kingston Police Academy, 1985 graduate

Certifications: Defensive tactics, pursuit and evasive driving, accident reconstruction, warrant execution

EXPERIENCE: 1986-92 police officer — towns of Lloyd, New Paltz and Ulster

1992-2006 police officer, narcotics unit — Rochester City Police Department

AWARDS: 2016 Constitutional Sheriff Award, New York branch of the Oath Keepers

ENDORSEMENTS: Lewis County Road Patrol Unit; Lewis County Dispatcher and Corrections Units

The biggest lesson Mr. Carpinelli has learned over the past nearly 12 years of being sheriff is that "you're not going to make everybody happy," and while it's good to understand why, to meet with those not happy with a situation and try to resolve it, if that's not possible then "you just have to accept it."

Mr. Carpinelli has worked with his team over the years to add a K-9 unit to the sheriff's office, upgrade the county's 911 system, rotate the vehicle fleet more efficiently and ensure updated equipment and resources are available for officers while trying to keep overtime hours to a minimum.

He also has consistently lobbied legislators to increase the budget for full-time personnel in his office, maintaining that he needs six to eight more officers — as recommended by a consultant that analyzed his office's staffing needs in 2017 — for road patrols and the recreation patrols for the ATV and snowmobile trails and the two largest and most populated lakes in the county, Bonaparte and Brantingham.

"We managed — and I say managed — to get the services we do from this agency (with current staffing levels). Is it the right way? Absolutely not all the way around, to be short, but we have to provide a service," he said. "I'd rather provide a service at 100% instead of 85%, but that's what I have and by God, I'll do the best 85% with what was given to me."

With the addition of the eight full-time officers, Mr. Carpinelli said he would have three deputies and one sergeant on every shift instead of having one car patrolling the southern section of the county, another in the north and a supervisor at headquarters as is now the practice. The additional deputies would also help ensure cover is available for all vacations which has not been possible in some cases, he said, causing him to have to deny vacation requests and speak to the union to address the issue for that particular deputy.

Mr. Carpinelli said he understands the extra expense for more officers and their health and retirement benefits, but he believes it is what's needed to keep the county safe.

For recreation patrol, however, because of the amount of real estate covered by trails and the distance to the two lakes, the additional people would help to increase the law enforcement presence on trails somewhat, but that ultimately, "it's just never enough."

Mr. Carpinelli said that despite an agreement created last year between the county and two school districts — Copenhagen and South Lewis — to have school resource officers available on school campuses during summer classes as well as the regular school year with the school districts to cover 100% of the officers' salaries, he plans to have the officers deployed full-time on rec patrol as in previous years and will provide coverage at the schools with road patrol officers.

"No matter what the contracts say, according to New York state law, the sheriff has open discretion (for mobilizing officers,)" Mr. Carpinelli said. "I will take the manpower that are my men and put them where they're needed."

According to Mr. Carpinelli, he has had multiple discussions to clarify this topic to the school district administrators.

Mr. Carpinelli is an ardent supporter of Second Amendment rights and spoke on behalf of hundreds of gun regulation protestors in 2019 who wanted the Lewis County Board of Legislators to declare the county a "2A Sanctuary." In some cases, the sheriff has balked at enforcing state-level laws or mandates he has said conflict with the Constitution and has been aligned with the state Sheriff's Association in criticism of bail reform.

In 2016, Mr. Carpinelli was selected to be a state campaign leader for the 21st Congressional District by then-candidate Donald J. Trump's campaign for president and made an attempt at a run for governor last year.

After writing what he described as a character reference for a friend who pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges related to the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol using county letterhead and signing the letter as sheriff, the county Ethics Board issued Mr. Carpinelli a letter of admonishment in February 2022 for misconduct for "misuse" of county resources — specifically the letterhead — for personal interests.

Nichole K. Turck, 46, Lowville

HOMETOWN: Town of Champion, summers in Chase's Lake (grandparents)

EDUCATION: Carthage Central High School

Jefferson Community College; associate degree, liberal arts

State Police Academy, 2002 graduate

EXPERIENCE: State police, 20 years — retired 2022

AWARDS: 2013 — State Police Brummer Award for bravery

ENDORSEMENTS: Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence Counties Central Trades and Labor Council; New York State Conservative Party

Whether it was doing work on the dairy farm where she grew up, working on a town road crew earning money in the summer after high school or her two decades of service as a state trooper, Nichole K. Turck was usually the only woman in the group, but that did not phase her.

The fact that she would be only the second woman in the state elected sheriff if she wins is beside the point, Mrs. Turck said.

The point is public service and doing the work she feels "was kind of (her) calling" having grown up in a family with close relatives in law enforcement.

"I think I can bring people together for the common goal of serving the people of this county respectfully and fairly with professionalism," she said.

Mrs. Turck said that if she wins the election, she will also focus on building stronger relationships and cooperation with other law enforcement agencies and the county among other organizations — but not on day one.

She wants to observe how the office operates, listen to the perspectives of the officers, investigators, corrections officers, dispatchers and support staff in order to make informed decisions.

Although she has always kept politics out of her life as a trooper to ensure fair treatment for all, Mrs. Turck said she is a lifelong Republican and believes in the rule of law.

"I took an oath to uphold the Constitution, not only the U.S. Constitution but the New York Constitution, all governing laws in the state and to serve and protect the people. We work for the people, so ... it's my job as a public servant to work for the people and enforce the law," she said.

Mrs. Turck said that while she is usually able to see both sides of most issues including the rationale behind some laws, she would stand with the state Sheriff's Association when lobbying for changes to problematic or ineffective legislation and she is willing to take a stand on behalf of "the best needs and interests of the people (she) serve(s)" including lobbying lawmakers in the county and Albany.

Her experiences as a trooper, like one in 2018 when she learned a hard lesson, and her insights from being in charge of training for Troop D has informed her leadership style she described as "fair, reasonable ... accountable and present."

"I had a bad day at work. I made a mistake ... No one was hurt. I didn't follow protocol on a call I had and I got it wrong, so I had to go through the process," she said. "I took my consequences and I moved on from it and I'm a better person for it. I'm a better leader for it because I understand what that experience is like now ... We all make mistakes and everyone's going to go through bad times but it's those bad times that enlighten us. As long as we are still going to the good, we are better for it. I'm better for it."

She continued her work as a trainer throughout the yearlong accountability process that made her realize the importance of getting officers "whole again" in similar situations where responsibility is taken.

She said she will focus on providing all of the resources each person in her office needs to be successful at their jobs, from equipment and training to clear communication and making programs available like the Sheriff's Association wellness program, so "then they can go home at the end of the day and be successful with their families."

Mrs. Turck said she sees a definite need for a strong recreation patrol based in part on her meetings with ATV clubs and business owners who requested more law enforcement presence on trails, but because she does not yet have internal information on staffing, she could not "fairly comment" on current staffing priorities.

"But if I'm elected, I will definitely figure that out and be transparent about what resources we have and where we need to be to fill those voids," she said.

The former trooper also envisions doing a press conference at some point to get word out to trail riders from farther afield who may be uninterested in respecting local laws and landowners to say, "you can come to this county and have a good time and we're more than willing to welcome you, but just remember it's a privilege to ride on these trails, it's not your right. ... There will be a police presence and if you bring attention to yourselves, we will have to correct the behavior."

She believes "you don't wait for disaster to happen, you get ahead of it."

Mrs. Turck acknowledged that she has limited experience in administration, but she said her time managing a summer recreation program's budget, procurement and staffing, though on a much smaller scale, gave her a foundation upon which she can build her skills managing the sheriff's office budget.

The primary election is June 27. For voting information, visit lewiscountyny.gov.