CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY – Republican Sheriff’s candidate Jim Quattrone told WNYNewsNow, in an exclusive interview, that most of the violent crimes in the areas are related to the illegal narcotics epidemic.
Quattrone called for cooperation between law enforcement and other agencies in dealing with the problem.
“I believe you know, so often, we see violence that’s surrounded by the drug trade and the drug trafficking and drug use. It’s important that we collaborate with other agencies and things such as the drug task force,” Quattrone said. “We currently have two drug task forces in this county and we need to start working together for the effectiveness and efficiency, but primarily for the safety of, not only our public and our citizens, but our officers that are out there doing the drug enforcement.”
“I believe as we start to work together with that common goal of safety and security in the countywide then we are going to be better able to combat that we really need to get a grasp on this drug trade and the drug epidemic and get away from the 50 plus years we’ve been fighting this war on drugs and we need to be smarter in that war that is always tougher but that’s working together”
When asked what Quattrone will do about cold cases he said retired investigators could be a willing key to solving the cases.
“The officers, investigators, (who) have worked on that have worked hard and you know sometimes (are) frustrated with that. In other areas they have implemented programs where they would bring in retired investigators that could look over the cases with a fresh set of eyes and I think that’s been pretty effective in various areas. I know I’ve been approached by a number of retired investigators who would be interested in assisting with that and something we could partner them with current investigators to look into those, but again with a fresh set of eyes,” he said.
“Sometimes that change of looking at something is very important. The ability to go back and look at cases you know with the new technologies that are out there. We have the ability to process different pieces of evidence that maybe weren’t able to be processed back whenever the crimes happened.”
Quattrone was part of a D.A.R.E. campaign. He said the program helped educate students about drugs, tobacco and alcohol.
“That D.A.R.E. program is just a touch on that because there’s a controversy, was it effective? Did it work? And I still have D.A.R.E. students coming up to me that are grown and have their own children that remember the D.A.R.E. program,” Quattrone explained. “And I believe sometimes the relationships that you were able to build at those programs, that’s been great over the years having the opportunity to be in the schools meeting young people again before they’re having a crisis, before they have something going on. You have them realize that we’re people, they can approach us when needed.”
Quattrone said what sets him apart from the current sheriff is a willingness to cooperate with other agencies.
“We have to be willing to work together with other agencies, focus on our communities and what is needed. John Wooden the UCLA basketball coach says it’s amazing how much work can get accomplished when no one cares who gets the credit,” he said. “We have to be willing to work with agencies to solve the crime problems, the drug epidemic, and get out into our communities knowing what is going on out there.”
