Columbia County Sheriff's Office
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Employee Spotlight: Meet Part-Timer Ellie Esselstyn
You won’t find a better ambassador for the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office than Ellie Esselstyn.
Admired by many in the office for her positive attitude, Ellie spreads joy wherever she goes. One of the office’s longest-serving employees, Ellie has seen the succession of six sheriffs during her time at the Sheriff’s Office.
For 23 years, Ellie served as confidential secretary for Sheriffs Paul Proper, Jim Bertram, Walter Shook, and David Harrison. It's a job that demands a great deal of multitasking and patience.
“You have to wear multiple hats and, as county employees, we had to be personable, also,” she said. “That meant taking phone calls, being polite, and, at times, standing up for the Sheriff. If someone calls and they are very upset, you have to do your best to calm them down and explain the procedures.”
“The Sheriff should have good communication with his staff,” she said. “He must be personable on the street. He has to be able to talk to anyone. I remember how Paul Proper would stop to talk to county highway workers on the job. I always respected that.”
Just months after Ellie retired in 2009, she returned to work part-time. First, she worked for the Columbia County Emergency Management Office (formerly under the umbrella of the Sheriff’s Office) as an accounts payable clerk. When there was an emergency, such as a big fire or flood, Ellie would also come in to help take phone calls. She later went on to work in accounts payable part-time at the Columbia County Jail where she has been working ever since.
During her time working alongside law enforcement, Ellie has seen many changes.
“To begin with, the world has changed,” Ellie said. “Law enforcement as a profession is more dangerous than it used to be. The respect for the work they do has dwindled.”
In response to those changes, Ellie added that she hopes more people will understand the tremendous responsibility law enforcement has. She encourages respect for the profession, not only for deputies but for corrections officers, as well. The title of a corrections officer is not always appreciated, she said.
In her spare time, Ellie is a member of the Claverack Ladies Fire Auxiliary and the senior group in Claverack, and regularly visits with friends at the Ghent Adult Home and The FASNY Firefighter’s Home, bringing her infectious smile wherever she goes.
Sheriff Donald J. Krapf said Ellie is adored by her fellow employees in the office.
“Ellie is truly the heart and soul of the office,” the Sheriff said. “She has contributed so much to the professionalism and integrity of the Sheriff's Office over the years. She probably knows more about how the office operates than most people realize.”
As far as any plans for retirement, for now, Ellie has no plans to slow down.
“I would like to work as long as I can,” she said. “I’ve enjoyed the people that I have worked with and I enjoy the work. It keeps my mind going. At my age, it’s good to keep your mind working and your body active.”
You won’t find a better ambassador for the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office than Ellie Esselstyn.
Admired by many in the office for her positive attitude, Ellie spreads joy wherever she goes. One of the office’s longest-serving employees, Ellie has seen the succession of six sheriffs during her time at the Sheriff’s Office.
For 23 years, Ellie served as confidential secretary for Sheriffs Paul Proper, Jim Bertram, Walter Shook, and David Harrison. It's a job that demands a great deal of multitasking and patience.
“You have to wear multiple hats and, as county employees, we had to be personable, also,” she said. “That meant taking phone calls, being polite, and, at times, standing up for the Sheriff. If someone calls and they are very upset, you have to do your best to calm them down and explain the procedures.”
“The Sheriff should have good communication with his staff,” she said. “He must be personable on the street. He has to be able to talk to anyone. I remember how Paul Proper would stop to talk to county highway workers on the job. I always respected that.”
Just months after Ellie retired in 2009, she returned to work part-time. First, she worked for the Columbia County Emergency Management Office (formerly under the umbrella of the Sheriff’s Office) as an accounts payable clerk. When there was an emergency, such as a big fire or flood, Ellie would also come in to help take phone calls. She later went on to work in accounts payable part-time at the Columbia County Jail where she has been working ever since.
During her time working alongside law enforcement, Ellie has seen many changes.
“To begin with, the world has changed,” Ellie said. “Law enforcement as a profession is more dangerous than it used to be. The respect for the work they do has dwindled.”
In response to those changes, Ellie added that she hopes more people will understand the tremendous responsibility law enforcement has. She encourages respect for the profession, not only for deputies but for corrections officers, as well. The title of a corrections officer is not always appreciated, she said.
In her spare time, Ellie is a member of the Claverack Ladies Fire Auxiliary and the senior group in Claverack, and regularly visits with friends at the Ghent Adult Home and The FASNY Firefighter’s Home, bringing her infectious smile wherever she goes.
Sheriff Donald J. Krapf said Ellie is adored by her fellow employees in the office.
“Ellie is truly the heart and soul of the office,” the Sheriff said. “She has contributed so much to the professionalism and integrity of the Sheriff's Office over the years. She probably knows more about how the office operates than most people realize.”
As far as any plans for retirement, for now, Ellie has no plans to slow down.
“I would like to work as long as I can,” she said. “I’ve enjoyed the people that I have worked with and I enjoy the work. It keeps my mind going. At my age, it’s good to keep your mind working and your body active.”
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Employee Spotlight: On the Job with Communications Officer Daniel Van Allen
Daniel Van Allen has seen all sides of emergency services.
The Ichabod Crane Central School graduate has served as a firefighter and an Emergency Medical Technician and now serves as a Communications Officer for the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office.
“Having a background in emergency services helped me get started in Communications,” he said. “By listening to and becoming familiar with radio transmissions, I was a little bit more cognizant of what was being said on the radio. I didn’t come in completely blind.”
Daniel has been working full-time for a year and a half with the Sheriff’s Office. He initially worked part-time for three years and took a year off.
“I like that every day is different,” he said. “You never know what you’re getting into and the different calls you will get that day. As a communication officer, you’re the first line of communication from the office before the deputy gets there. I enjoy coming to work every day.”
Daniel said being a communications officer is a great way to make a difference.
“It’s a good way to get into emergency services if you don’t want to be out in the field, fighting a fire or making arrests, but you still want to help the community,” he said.
Daniel said the ability to handle high-stress situations calmly is key to being a good communications officer.
“You might run into a situation where someone is yelling on the phone because they are worried or stressed,” he said. “You have to have good communication skills.”
Daniel said he enjoys the camaraderie at the Sheriff’s Office.
“Everyone gets along like a big family,” he said. “We might argue from time to time but everyone always makes up. In a bigger department, you might get lost.”
When he is not at work, Daniel is spending time with his wife and son or at the Stuyvesant Fire Department, where he has served for the past 12 years and is now a lieutenant.
“I would definitely encourage anyone considering any type of public service, "Daniel said. “There is a need for it, especially now more than ever. Numbers are dwindling everywhere. EMS and police agencies are struggling. I wouldn’t turn anyone away. It’s always going to be something that’s needed.”
The Columbia County Sheriff’s Office has openings for two full-time communications officers. Starting salary is $51,000. Part-timers are also welcome to apply. Visit www.columbiacountysheriff.us for more information.
Daniel Van Allen has seen all sides of emergency services.
The Ichabod Crane Central School graduate has served as a firefighter and an Emergency Medical Technician and now serves as a Communications Officer for the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office.
“Having a background in emergency services helped me get started in Communications,” he said. “By listening to and becoming familiar with radio transmissions, I was a little bit more cognizant of what was being said on the radio. I didn’t come in completely blind.”
Daniel has been working full-time for a year and a half with the Sheriff’s Office. He initially worked part-time for three years and took a year off.
“I like that every day is different,” he said. “You never know what you’re getting into and the different calls you will get that day. As a communication officer, you’re the first line of communication from the office before the deputy gets there. I enjoy coming to work every day.”
Daniel said being a communications officer is a great way to make a difference.
“It’s a good way to get into emergency services if you don’t want to be out in the field, fighting a fire or making arrests, but you still want to help the community,” he said.
Daniel said the ability to handle high-stress situations calmly is key to being a good communications officer.
“You might run into a situation where someone is yelling on the phone because they are worried or stressed,” he said. “You have to have good communication skills.”
Daniel said he enjoys the camaraderie at the Sheriff’s Office.
“Everyone gets along like a big family,” he said. “We might argue from time to time but everyone always makes up. In a bigger department, you might get lost.”
When he is not at work, Daniel is spending time with his wife and son or at the Stuyvesant Fire Department, where he has served for the past 12 years and is now a lieutenant.
“I would definitely encourage anyone considering any type of public service, "Daniel said. “There is a need for it, especially now more than ever. Numbers are dwindling everywhere. EMS and police agencies are struggling. I wouldn’t turn anyone away. It’s always going to be something that’s needed.”
The Columbia County Sheriff’s Office has openings for two full-time communications officers. Starting salary is $51,000. Part-timers are also welcome to apply. Visit www.columbiacountysheriff.us for more information.
Employee Spotlight: On the Job with Deputy Matthew Cowan
Deputy Matthew Cowan’s job is different from one day to the next.
A typical day for Deputy Cowan starts at 7 a.m. and with a 12-hour shift but diverges from there.
One day he could be staked out in a barn in Ancram with fellow deputies as part of a fraud sting operation, the next day he is attending training at the Columbia County 911 Center.
But that’s what he enjoys about it.
“You come in a little before 7 a.m., get your car loaded up, and put yourself in it,” said Deputy Cowan, who joined the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office in June. “You check your email and take care of any open cases by following up with those calls. Throughout the day, if it is not too busy, that is when you get to do traffic stops and go out and talk to people. By 3 p.m., we all meet back at the Sheriff's Office, if we are not on call, for a shift briefing to talk about what went on that day. And, by then, if there are no calls, we continue on the road.”
Deputy Cowan lives in Greenport and is a graduate of Hudson High School and completed the Columbia-Greene Basic Training Phase 1 and Phase 2 program. For Phase II, which includes 160 hours of field training, he was sponsored by the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office.
He enjoys that his job allows him to be close to family and explore new facets of his hometown.
“I think it is an awesome job,” Deputy Cowan said. “You get to work at your own pace. I like doing traffic stops, taking calls, and going out and talking to people. I like to be proactive. It’s what you put into it. You can choose what kind of cop you want to be.”
And what kind of cop is Deputy Cowan? Compassionate and smart. “Some people might think I am too nice but I think it is the easiest way to get through to people."
But don’t think you can pull a fast one on him.
“People are not good liars,” he said. “It gets easier to see and pick up on patterns.”
It’s better just to be honest, he said.
Deputy Cowan was inspired to pursue a career in law enforcement by watching his father, who is a corrections officer at Coxsackie Correctional Facility.
“I always had it in the back of my head to become a cop,” he said. “I think most people don’t realize what the police see on a day-to-day basis. Most people think all police do is eat donuts and drink coffee, but there are many aspects of the job people don’t realize until you explain it to them. I have seen a lot of things most people don’t see.”
Deputy Cowan completed his police basic training course at Columbia-Greene Community College. There were two phases. The first phase included training, physical fitness requirements and defensive tactics. The Columbia County Sheriff’s Office sponsored Deputy Cowan on Phase II, which included 160 hours of supervised field training.
During his downtime, Deputy Cowan enjoys playing baseball, guitar, and drums, and, on occasion, hunting and fishing.
His advice to aspiring deputies? Start young.
“You’ll be able to get out early or keep progressing to a higher rank,” said the 22-year-old. “Stick to it. Do your best to take all the training you can. You can never have too much training. There is a lot to study and know.”
CCSO Employee Spotlight:
Meet Meagen Skelley, Explorer-Turned-Sergeant
Meagen Skelley’s law enforcement career began earlier than most.
At age 14, Sgt. Skelley joined the local Explorer Post through the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office. Fifteen years later, she achieved the rank of sergeant in the Sheriff’s Corrections Division.
Sgt. Skelley, 33, was encouraged to apply to the Explorer program by Wendy Guntert, her friend and Columbia County Sheriff’s Office deputy. Sgt. Skelley showed an interest in law enforcement from an early age, but she wasn’t sure which facet of law enforcement she wanted to pursue.
As an explorer, Sgt. Skelley trained alongside Sheriff’s deputies for two years. She learned defensive tactics, how to operate in high-stress scenarios and life-saving techniques. She went on ride-alongs with deputies and observed police interactions with the public – everything from writing traffic tickets to arrests. But, the most memorable moment for Sgt. Skelley came when she and fellow explorers were tasked with a tactical training exercise known as “clearing a room.”
“We used airsoft guns,” she said. “It was so fun. Basically, we conducted a room search where we looked for the ‘bad guy,” who was a deputy for training purposes. We cleared the room and then found “the bad guy” who was hiding on the top shelf of a closet.”
The Explorer program was eye-opening for Sgt. Skelley whose only experience with law enforcement up until that point was watching police dramas on television.
“It gave me an insight of a more hands-on experience of the things that law enforcement go through,” Sgt. Skelley said. “At that age, it is all movies to you. That’s all you know. But when you are actually going through the training and watching videos and doing it yourself, it is much more hands-on than you realize and you get to know what really happens.”
Sgt. Skelley says her time as an Explorer solidified her interest in and gave her the confidence to pursue law enforcement as a career.
“I think the explorer post is good for youth,” Sgt. Skelley said. “It gives them something to do, a way to be productive. It keeps them out of trouble but also will give them an idea down the road if it is a career path they want to follow.”
After graduating from Taconic Hills Central School District, Sgt. Skelley attended Columbia-Greene Community College for two years and subsequently received her Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice from SUNY Brockport. She interned at the Greene County Probation Department, where she learned the ins and outs of the court process and met with probationers alongside probation officers. She also interned with deputies at the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office.
In 2015, she applied to several Civil Service jobs and accepted the first position she was offered: Corrections Officer for the Corrections Division at the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office.
“I never thought I would be in Corrections,” Sgt. Skelley said. “I initially saw it as a stepping stone. However, I like the aspect that all of your fellow coworkers have your back in difficult situations. We also have a great leader in our captain, Patrick Delaney. It is a comfortable atmosphere.”
She was quickly promoted to Corporal before reaching the rank of Sergeant.
“We’re proud to have Sgt. Skelley among our ranks,” said Sheriff Donald J. Krapf, who promoted Sgt. Skelley last year. “Her leadership skills, determination and integrity were quickly recognized, and she is an asset to the facility, the Office and Public Safety as a whole.”
Sgt. Skelley enjoys being a leader and providing support to her fellow corrections officers.
“I like being able to progress in my career,” Sgt. Skelley said. “I tell people, ‘Don’t sell yourself short. If you think you have more to offer, take a chance and go for it.’ There are people who want to be a C.O. for the remainder of their career and that’s fine, but, if you think you have more to offer, do what it takes to continue.”
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