Sheriff-Elect David Cirencione had a late election night followed by an early morning today. And he’s ready to hit the ground running.
“Right off the bat today I’ve got meetings with sub-committee groups of our county board of supervisors,” Cirencione said. “I’m going to start working right away with Sheriff Povero for a transition. He finishes December 31st and he plans to head back South.”
Cirencione’s general plan for the next 6-12 months
“A lot of reaching out to the folks that work at the office, the men and women,” Cirencione explained. “I want to connect with all of them and let the know that they’re going to have a Sheriff and an Undersheriff who support them and have their backs. And more engagement with the community to let them know I’m accessible, and we’re going to have a Sheriff’s Office that’s transparent.”
Part of that plan, Cirencione explained, is to stay connected to the stakeholders who partner with the Sheriff’s Office, to keep the county safe and bring programs and services to the people who need it.
“The partnership that we are on, that Sheriff Povero has been on for years, that’s one where they run clothing drives, food drives, help people who are getting out of jail to get back on their feet, so I plan to be a part of that,” he added. “Get out to Eastview Mall, see the people who are shopping especially now as we prepare for the holiday season. We’ve already got plans underway for the enhancement of safety and patrol over there for the coming months. So just being out in the community and being out with the people and seeing the people.”
Cirencione said the office has been working to recruit deputies.
“I am extremely excited to be able to say that about a year ago this time, our road patrol out of 40 officers, we were down 19 deputies,” Cirencione said. “We currently have one vacancy. So in less than a year, we’ve completely filled our ranks in the road patrol. That’s thanks to the board of supervisor who recognized a need for an increase in pay and responded. We’ve had excellent candidates come forward who we put through the Finger Lakes Law Enforcement Academy. We put seven through this year, all of whom have passed their probationary period.”
Now, Cirencione said, the goal is keep those employees.
“My plan is through creating a positive work environment for the people that work there,” Cirencione explained. “To let them know that it’s about them and the work they do on the front lines, and continue to support them.
He said the office still has work to do with recruitment and filling vacancies in the jail on the corrections side.
Biggest takeaway from working with Sheriff Povero
“Sheriff Povero hired me almost 21 years ago,” Cirencione said. “He promoted me to Sergeant in 2007 and to Lieutenant in 2016. Povero knows how to work with people. He reaches across all lines, and he’s a wealth of institutional knowledge and he knows how county government works. And Sheriff Povero has always treated everyone with the utmost respect no matter where they come from. Victims, suspects, our staff, people in the community, he’s really been a role model and it’s been an honor and a privilege to work for him.”
Lead singer of the band, “Journey” congratulates Cirencione
Cirencione’s wife, Sue, and daughter, Chelsie Jensen, said the lead singer of the band Journey, Arnel Pineda, is the soon-to-be Sheriff’s hero. The family went to a concert, then Chelsie reached out to Pineda, asking him to be part of a video congratulating Cirencione.
In the YouTube video, Pineda said, “Good luck with what you’re doing with your community and trying to change it to be Sheriff there. It’s a great thing and I hope to see you guys again there in Canandaigua.”
Plans to celebrate the win his wife
“Sue and I are heading to Florida next week,” Cirencione said. “We haven’t been anywhere in the last year. All my vacation was spent going door-to-door all over the county meeting people. April, May, June, July, August, that’s where all my days have gone. So we’re taking a little four-day trip to Florida to enjoy some heat before we buckle in for a long winter.”
Rebecca is a veteran multimedia journalist serving as one of our core reporters in the Finger Lakes region. She is responsible for telling stories that matter to every day Upstate New Yorkers. Have a question or lead? Send it to [email protected].