Letter To The Editor: Langley Responds To Odell's Attack

To the Editor:

"𝙈𝙪𝙘𝙝 𝘼𝙙𝙤 about the boat patrol?” What an interesting choice of words considering one of the recurring themes in Shakespeare's play 𝘔𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘈𝘥𝘰 𝘈𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘕𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 deals with false accusations and plots to deceive, albeit in the form of a comedy. Unfortunately, there is nothing funny about County Executive MaryEllen Odell’s decision to use the Putnam County official website as a platform to launch false accusations about the Putnam County Sheriff Department.

And in so doing, she places our County at risk in pending litigation matters against the County.

Let’s be clear, this “press release” has nothing to do with the “boat patrol” and the County Executive's creative turn of phrase should not deceive anyone. Putnam County’s Marine Patrol Unit was established in 1998, not by Sheriff Langley. The Marine Patrol has always been funded through overtime that is 50% reimbursed by the State of New York, not by some “ever increasing spending” by Sheriff Langley.

The true “plot” of the County Executive’s press release is her blatant partisan attempt to sway voters, days before Election Day, toward the Republican candidate for Sheriff. To be sure, MaryEllen Odell has every right to back whatever candidate she chooses. But to use the Office of the County Executive of Putnam County, the joint employer of our brave and sworn Officers, to make unsubstantiated remarks about events involved in pending litigation -- events where discovery has yet to commence and the Sheriff Department and the County have denied liability -- is irresponsible at best and runs counter to the oath of office we as public servants are sworn to uphold.


Stump all you want, but releasing confidential information to the media and making accusatory statements on the County website is not a proper discharge of official duties in the public’s interest. Her remarks not only compromise the County’s position in the opening litigation, but also those of all the individually named defendants. Remember what lies cost us the last time around.

Robert Langley, Jr., Putnam County Sheriff

SEE: Putnam County Government: Letter To The Editor 10/22/2021 "Much Ado About The Boat Patrol"