In this year’s midterm elections, Onondaga County had to elect a new sheriff after Kevin Walsh announced his retirement from the position he held for 20 years.
In a competitive race between Republican Gene Conway and Democrat Toby Shelley, Conway won the race by a margin of 8,000 votes.
Conway, who was chief of police for the town of DeWitt when he was elected, was sworn-in as sheriff on Dec. 17 at DeWitt Town Hall.
Eagle Newspapers reporter Hayleigh Gowans got the chance to interview Conway shortly before he takes office at midnight on Dec. 31.
Can you give me an overview of your law enforcement career so far?
I started as a police officer in 1977 with village of North Syracuse. And I worked there exactly a year, then I moved over to the sheriff’s department, where I was for 24 years. In 2002, I accepted the police chief position in DeWitt and I’ve been there since.
Why did you choose to go into law enforcement?
The simple reason is I wanted to help people. I was exposed to police work from doing some ride-alongs with a relative in my family named John Dillion. He was a deputy chief with the Syracuse Police Department back then. He’s really the person who is responsible for getting me exposed to law enforcement. I did those ride-alongs and became interested and ended up going to college for public justice. I finished college and then got a job shortly thereafter with North Syracuse.
Can you describe your time at the DeWitt Police Department?
It’s been a tremendously positive experience here in DeWitt. The best way to describe it is that I love coming to work every day and I’m saying that 12-plus years later. I enjoy, at this stage of my career, helping guide and support the young police officers who are coming into the profession now and that’s what gives me the greatest satisfaction.
Obviously providing the citizens of Dewitt with what we hope to be a professional law enforcement service is something I think was able to be done. That makes it enjoyable.
What accomplishment in your career are you most proud of?
I don’t know if there’s just one, but probably helping solve some very serious crimes primarily when I was with the sheriff’s office. When I left the sheriff’s office, I was at the rank of captain and I oversaw all the investigation units, including major crimes and homicide. So seeing people responsible for the most serious crimes brought to justice is probably the most satisfying part of the job.
Why did you decide to run for county sheriff?
I absolutely loved coming to work here [DeWitt] and that’s energized me through the years and the sheriff’s position was going to become an open position, meaning the present sheriff was going to be retiring and I wanted to be able to share my enthusiasm and my leadership skills with an even larger group of police officers. Since that opportunity had presented itself, I wanted to pursue that opportunity.
How do you think your experience working in the sheriff’s department previously will help you?
There are three departments in the sheriff’s department: a police department, a custody department and a civil department. I spent all of my career in the police department and I worked in every one of the units that I went on to supervise. So I’m very familiar with the police operations in the sheriff’s department. I know that will help me as I’m coming back as sheriff to have a better understanding of the one department and I need to become equally as familiar with the other two.
In regards to recent national events, what are your thoughts on police mounted body cameras?
I’m not opposed to body camera, just as I was not opposed to when cameras were put in the cars. I think that people need to keep in mind though that every time you introduce a new piece of technology or equipment that there are many other things you need to consider such as it breaking down or the storage … so we need to evaluate all of those aspects a well as what the purpose of the body camera is.
I’m not opposed to having things recorded, but the issue also has to include the bigger topics of things like what happens when it breaks, how we pay for the storage of them and how we pay for more of them when they break. These are all things that need to be included in the discussion about having police officers having that type of equipment.
What are your views on enforcement of the SAFE Act?
This is the one question I got asked most frequently during my campaign and that tell me people are very concerned about it.
My response is that I think the legislation going into it becoming law was flawed and we’re seeing the results with that now with still not knowing how it’s going to be enforced or who is going to enforce what parts of it. There are some parts I agree with but overall I believe it impacts people who are law abiding citizens in a way it shouldn’t, meaning people who are following the rules and wanting to have a handgun or firearm are having more requirement placed on them that I don’t think are appropriate.
What will your first order of business be as sheriff?
My first order of business will be having a mission statement. I think that’s important from the first day I take office to have ever employs know what the mission of the sheriff’s office will be.
I also want to have a plan for what we hope to accomplish in the first 100 days of my administration and then having a very well though-out strategic plan. Those will be the guideline of how my administration will begin — with people knowing exactly what’s expected of them and where the direction of the sheriff’s office is going to go.
Can you explain what this mission statement is?
The mission statement is a statement that every employee needs to be aware of so they know what the focus of the duties of the sheriff’s office is going to be so we all have something we have to follow. So when I go to work each day and say ‘what is my purpose?,’ the mission statement helps define that purpose.
What are your long term goals for the sheriff’s department?
It’s to be the best sheriff I can be and have the sheriff’s office be the most professional sheriff’s office it can be of everywhere. Professionalism is paramount to me.
Do you have anything you’d like to add?
There are many, many people that are responsible for me being at this point at my career and there are many that have shaped me into the type of police officer or chief or leader that I am and I’ve never forgotten that. I always trying to acknowledge that fact that there are many others who are still here today and unfortunately others who are not that helped shape me into the type of person that I am and I’m so appreciate of that.
